Skies of Arcadia: Lunar Cycle
by Annie Felis
Summary: Several months after the death of Zelos and Ramirez, Vyse and his friends hear rumors of a hidden seventh Black Moon. Curious, they investigate this mystery and the possibility of a hidden civilization beneath it. incomplete BASED OFF DREAMCAST VERSION
1. Prologue -- Exerpts from Ancient History

Lunar Cycle -- prologue 

**Skies of Arcadia: Lunar Cycle**  
by Annie Felis

**PROLOGUE  
Exerpts from Ancient History**

It is shown in our records that this world initially only had two races, and two civilizations. One was us, under our moon of darkness; the other was our brethren, who lived under the shining moon of life. The gods placed us here on this world, we grew and expanded; we gained knowledge, we used it; we travelled about our world and saw the wonders around us, never once harming the delicate balance placed here and maintained by the moons. 

However a scant few thousands of years ago, the others arrived. In strange ships that flew where there was no air, that had no rudders nor sails nor did not use moonstones, they arrived to our world with peaceful intent. They had claimed that their world, a world where it was mostly water as ours is mostly sky, had been laid to waste. The sun had grown too hot, too large...thus causing them to flee their homeworld lest they die in its searing heat. And we welcomed them kindly, introduced them to our world and its wonders. They shared with us their technology, and we shared with them our magic. They soon learned how to travel the world like we, to revel in its beauty and to learn and adapt. 

For each remaining moon, the others made their homes. The ones under the Green centered their life on studying the heavens and the lush jungles around them. The ones under the Red thrived in the desert heat and used its sand to create wonderous glass buildings. The ones under the Blue braved the winds and formed a culture centered on art. The ones under the Purple built their cities in the ice, braving the cold and persuing all forms of knowledge. The ones under the Yellow accepted the fierce thunderstorms and captured the power of electricity in yellow moonstones for all to use. As each civilization flourished, each became more advanced...almost to a competative level. 

We continued to live in our darkness, not exactly shunned but not exactly accepted. Our Silver brethren continued to accept our ways, not afraid of us or our abilities. And we, the Dark ones, continued to coexist peacefully with the Silver. Secretly the two of us agreed to guardedly watch the other civilzations, to take care that they not grow too strong. The Silver began to dispatch a force of guardian ships to watch the others, and to keep the Silver lands and its people safe. We, however, had a different plan. In our efforts, we created a great being. Mortian, a large beast with the powers of our moon became our own guardian. Proud of our new accomplishment, we set him to rest, to await our summons if we were ever in peril. 

However, somehow the others found out of our creature...our Gigas. One by one, they all began to create their own. It was an act not out of flattery or respect, but out of competition; the others all wanted to surpass each other: each wanted to be the greatest civilization on Arcadia. Out of spite and jealousy, they turned their Gigas on one another, reaking havok and starting horrible wars. What made these wars horrible was not the jealousy behind them or the dread Gigas that fought, but the technology that had grown beyond the people who weilded it. We saw this and realized that we did not want to get involved. Withdrawing into our home, we drove off any attempts by the others to attack our lands beneath our moon with our power over storms and gravity, refusing to use Mortian. 

However while we withdrew, the Silver were infuriated by the pointless wars. Using their powers of death, they created their own Gigas named Zelos. Zelos was ordered to use his great power, and he caused moonstones to hail down on each civilization, destroying all the haughty others had created, including some of their own cities. They then sealed Soltis, their largest city, from the rest of the world. Shocked by this, we could do little but remain to ourselves. The others were chargrined by this, by the fact that we were the only ones who survived the Rains of Destruction unscathed. The Purple, who were not hit as hard, used one of their ships they had preserved from their travels to this world and sent it into space in hopes of destroying our moon. However, the ship was old and its impact did not destroy our moon, only altered its orbit. Slowly, our moon crept away from us and hid behind the Purple moon. Great maelstroms were caused in the sea to our west, and vast amounts of ice were blown over Glacia, sealing it in ice and burying the people alive. 

We were terrified, our moon was removed from our sight. Our scientists estimated that with its bizzare orbit, it would orbit close to Arcadia every few centuries; otherwise, it would remain hidden behind the Purple moon. 

Now devistated, we will seal ourselves in a sleep. We have brought this fate upon ourselves, in our cowardace. Our Silver brothers have ascended into the sky, left us here with those that hate us. All we can do is continue to hide like bats, hide from the sun, within this dark storm we have created, and hope that some day we may return. 


	2. Chapter 1 -- Home Again

Lunar Cycle -- Chapter 1 ** CHAPTER ONE  
Home Again**

Yawning, Aika nonchalantly walked past the door to her quarters, seemingly out on the deck for a stroll. Anybody who really knew Aika would know otherwise, that she was in fact up to something. However, nobody would dare say anything to her. Trying to stop Aika from being devious was a death wish. Even Fina who seemed to see through all of Aika's tomboy antics would back off and leave the redhead alone. Especially when it came to annoying Vyse. 

Such a thing was a pastime for Aika now. It was something she had done as a child, and something she still continued to do just as gleefully as ever. Not only that, but she had gotten irritating Vyse down to an art. She knew him better than anybody else, and so obviously knew how to get under his skin the best. Vyse would naturally get irritated, but then afterwards he would laugh or find a way to get back to her. It was a little game they always played, a game that poor Fina had gotten caught up in the middle of, especially recently. 

The whole purpose of them returning to Crescent Isle was to celebrate Fina's eighteenth birthday. Fina didn't want them to make a big deal out of it, saying that she was perfectly happy spending the day with her friends. Vyse told her that he wouldn't stand for that, and they were going to throw a party whether Fina wanted one or not. That pretty much resolved that, and they had arrived at Crescent Isle to plan and to hopefully obtain birthday gifts. 

Not only did she want to miff Vyse, but her curiosity got the better of her. This was the purpose of Aika's little stroll; she wanted to see what Vyse bought Fina for her birthday. Aika had already purchased a gift, a locket that was apparently made with a black moonstone. Obviously it wasn't a black moonstone, but the stone was fairly pretty. However, if Vyse had gotten something better for Fina, Aika would keep the locket for herself and do her best to obtain something even better for Fina. She had already been doing her best to hog Fina's attention, to dote time on her. So then Vyse would retaliate, do something even better to snag Fina's eye, and turn the tables on Aika. Fina obviously knew what was going on, but she didn't object to all the attention she was recieving. 

The door to Vyse's quarters was unlocked. He generally didn't lock it, seeing that nobody really dared to go in there. Whether out of respect or out of some sort of fear, everybody on Crescent Isle kept out of their captain's quarters. Well, everybody but Aika. Glancing around furtively to make sure he wasn't nearby, she poked her head in. 

"Vyse?" 

No answer. The room was dark. Aika slipped in and shut the door behind her swiftly. Not exactly sure what she was looking for, she headed over to his desk, glancing at the pile of books and papers he had there. At first glance, people may believe that Vyse was your average dumb guy. Granted, he wasn't a genius, but he was working to become one. Whenever Vyse had the chance, he would read. He would read anything he could get his hands on: books on anatomy, books on navigation, short stories or reports on weather. Then he would take what knowledge he already had obtained and put it down in writing, in drawings and charts, in notes and outlines. Stacks of books that Vyse had written himself, rolls of maps and blueprints, star charts hung on the wall and illustrations he drew of various animals were testimony of his efforts on the road to knowledge. 

Aika wasn't interested in Vyse's hoard of information, however. She had seen it before many times, from his charts of the southern constellations to his illustrations of flutterflies. Rifling through his desk drawers, she was looking for anything that looked relatively giftish in nature. Figuring Vyse, he would buy something relatively femanine for Fina. Obviously he didn't know that much about women, or how to guy them gifts. Some of Aika's own past birthday gifts from him were interesting to say the least. That ice cream maker he got for her this past birthday wasn't too bad, however. 

Something caught her eye in the bottom desk drawer on top of a pile of manilla folders. Sitting there was a plain paper bag of small size, the sort of paper bag available at candy stores. Aika picked up the small package and peered inside, expecting candy, jewelry, anything of that manner. Inside were none of these, but what appeared to be two tickets to something or another. She was about to pull them out to read them when a voice spoke behind her. 

"Looking for something?" it said mildly. 

Aika jumped and spun around, tucking the small bag behind her back and shutting the drawer with a foot all in one motion. "Er, nothing Vyse....I was just hoping you'd have a spare pencil or something." 

He crossed his arms and snorted. "Not only do you bust into my room, but you do a lousy job at lying about why you're here. Sometimes I wonder about you, Aika." He frowned. "And what do you have there?" 

She sidled towards the door, doing her best from preventing him to see. "Nothing really...it isn't that important." 

Vyse sidled along with her, already knowing what Aika held behind her back. "Give 'em back, Aika. I don't nose around in your desk, and I definately haven't tried to be nosey to find your birthday gift for Fina." 

The female pirate wrinkled her nose. "Yeah right. You've been asking me every day for the past two weeks now. Now let's see what you have here..." She pulled the tickets out of the bag. Vyse didn't try to stop her. "Let's see..."Gordo's Dinner Theatre....admit one"...5000 Gold apiece? Damn that's steep." She tapped the tickets against her chin. "Pretty interesting." 

He made a grab for them, and missed as Aika pulled them out of range. "Yeah, well I heard it's a funny show and the food there's pretty good. I don't really care about the price if Fina winds up happy." 

She shot him a look. "And exactly why are there only two tickets here?" 

"Oh please Aika....don't take it personally. It's Fina's birthday, not yours." Another grab, another miss. 

"Well I'm gonna take it personally! I can't believe you!" She struck the familiar irritated Aika pose; hands on hips, shoulders thrust forward, feet splayed apart. "You'd actually exclude me?" 

He smacked palm against his forhead. "Yeesh, you're being ridiculous about this. If you're that offended, then I'll find some way to confensate for this awful, horrendous crime." 

"Then buy me a third ticket." Slowly her hand snaked out towards the door. 

"No way in hell." 

"Well then, you won't get 'em back until you do." With that, she yanked open the door and jumped out of the room. Vyse made a strangled sound, and ran after her. Aika was already making her way down the steps and towards the tavern when he made it out onto the deck. With a running leap, he jumped off the deck and landed in front of her with an irritated glare. She skidded to a halt, took a step back and ran in the opposite direction with Vyse in hot persuit. 

"Aika, will you cut it out?!" 

"No way in hell!" She ran past the chicken coop and up the slope of land that bordered the small lake. 

Vyse sort of said something along the lines of "Youuuub-- ...eerrraaaggh!" and continued to run after her. At this point a small group of people had gathered to watch the two play the latest installment of their little annoyance game. 

Hans yawned and shook his head. "They're at it again. Who do you think's winning?" 

Kirala, who still carried the paintbrush she was using to paint the tavern's sign, shrugged. "I'd say this next round is Vyse--2, Aika--3." She scratched at her nose and looked up to the top of the slope, where Aika swung around one of the flagpoles in a 180. Unfortunately Vyse had anticipated this little move and stopped her short. 

"Game's up, Aika. Gimme back the tickets." He held out his hand. 

Aika glanced around looking for an escape route, but found none. "Er, now Vyse...I was just kidding around." She backed up until her rear end hit the railing of the small enscarpment over the lake. 

"Well I'm not laughing." He stepped right up to her, and reached for the tickets. "Now fork them over already." 

Aika leaned back and held the ticket-holding hand back out over the water. "Aw c'mon....can't you just buy one for me? I'll even chip in half the expense." 

Vyse literally pressed against her, reaching his hand out, face contorted into a frown. "No....now just give 'em to me." 

Aika gave an irritated grunt. "What the hell are you gonna do, climb on top of me? You're getting awfully damn fresh over a pair of tickets, Vyse." She leaned back over the railing even further. Vyse did likewise, ignoring the jeers of his crew members down at the far end of the lake. 

"I wish they'd shut up....I'm just trying to get m--....ohshitohshit!" 

Already leaning forward and standing on his toes, he lost his balance and started tipping over the rail. Aika flailed her arms and tried to pull the two of them back up, but the laws of physics took hold and they tumbled over the rail into the lake below, much to the crew's delight. Vyse surfaced, peering around through his wet bangs. Aika however did not exactly surface and tread water like Vyse so as much flailed her arms and made panicked sounds. 

"V-vyse you jackass! You know I can't swim! I'm gonn--" The last sentence was cut off as she choked on some water. 

He rolled his eyes and swam over to her. "Aika, calm down. Here, I've got y--stop flailing around...ow! Now you just kicked me! Hold still or you'll have to get yourself to shore!" He slipped an arm around her waist and started swimming towards shore. "That's better." 

Hans chuckled. "What was that score again, Kirala? I'd say it's Vyse--4, Aika--2. He gets an extra point for being able to swim." 

"Eh." was all Kirala said. 

"You can stand now." Vyse let go of Aika, who stood. He snatched the tickets from her, looked at them, and slammed his fist down on the water angrily. "Oh great... Aika, because you were goofing around, the tickets are ruined. Look!" He thrust them under her nose so she could see. "The ink's run all over the place." 

She blinked, looking at the tickets, and glanced at him a bit sheepishly. "Er, sorry?" 

Vyse crumpled the soggy tickets, clenching his fist. "10,000 gold wasted, all because you had to be immature and goof around." He pushed her, and she fell back into the knee-deep water. "Do yourself a goddamn favor and stay away from me for the rest of the day." With that, he waded up to shore, leaving a surprised and somewhat guilty Aika lying in the water. 

Fina stood on the edge of the lake, looking baffled. "Vyse, what--?" 

He slapped the crumpled tickets in her hand. "Happy birthday." He removed his coat and scarf, both of which were dripping wet. 

The silvite looked at the illegible writing on the tickets, then back up at Vyse, who was wringing water out of his coat. "Oh...uh, but what are these?" 

He ripped his skyseer eyepatch off, which had begun to fog up, and snorted. "Ask Aika. I'm gonna go change." Turning on his heel, he stormed back to his quarters, his boots making wet squelching sounds all the while. 

Fina turned to look at Aika, who had come up onto the beach, one of her braids undone from her swimming attempts. "Aika? What are these things Vyse gave me? Some sort of tickets?" 

Aika shrugged. "Don't ask me." She continued on her way, leaving a bewildered Fina behind. 

Kirala smugly crossed her arms. "Heh, see that Hans? I'd say the score is Vyse--3, Aika--2,000. You lose." 

* * * 

"I think he's still mad at me, Urala. It was an innocent little game, but I put him out quite a bit of money." 

Urala continued washing the mug she held, rubbing at a stubborn spot with a rag. "But this is Vyse we're talking about. He only gets mad for a little while and then he's okay. I saw him in here earlier, and he didn't seem that angry." 

Aika sighed and swirled her tea around in its mug. "Yeah still, even I think I went too far. And I'm not one to admit that, you know..." She winced. "He's gonna be mad at me for the whole day, and it's Fina's birthday today. The last thing I wanted was to let our competition get out of hand and ruin it for her." 

"Oh, I don't know about that. Fina's a very understanding person. She'll be happy that her friends are with her for her birthday, and isn't that what's important? Besides, I'm sure you can pay Vyse back somehow." 

The air pirate took a drink of her tea and morosely looked at Urala over the rim of the mug. "How can I?" she said, setting the mostly-empty mug down. "I don't have 10,000 gold to spend. If I did, I would've gotten something nicer for Fina, not to mention something for myself." 

"We have a saying in Yafutoma, Aika....maybe it'll help you a bit with your problem: "He who causes a friend pain can only bring him more happiness later through friendship.". More tea?" 

Aika nodded, holding out her mug. "So I've annoyed him now, but I can make it up to him all in good time, huh? It's worth a shot." 

"There's anothing saying from Yafutoma, one that I use myself." She walked over with the small clay Yafutoman clay teapot and poured more of the mild green tea into Aika's mug. "It goes along the lines of: "Apologize."." 

The redhead gave Urala a funny look. "That ain't any Yafutoman saying...that's just common sense." 

"Exactly." said a voice from the doorway. Kirala wandered in and sat down at the table near Aika. "Common sense is something used world-wide. If you're wrong, then admit that you are to the one you've wronged." She turned to her sister. "I finished your sign, and it's now hanging over the door. I'll have to admit that the western form of writing is odd and hard to paint." 

Urala poured her sister a mug of tea. "I appreciate it, Kirala." She eyed Aika. "Well?" 

"Well what?" 

"Aren't you going to go make it up to him? You have work to do, you know." 

Kirala nodded. "She's right, Aika; as amusing as this little game has gotten, it has to end at some point or another. I'm not sure who's winning anymore, but I think the whole ordeal is getting beyond childish." 

Aika stared into her tea. "Yeah, I suppose I can think of something..." she mumbled. 

* * * 

Later that night a party was held outside for Fina. It was originally planned to be held in the meeting room above the wharf, but both Vyse and Aika had decided that if the weather held, they would hold it out in the town's square. There was no rain in sight, the stars and the red moon shining brightly in the sky, and the evening was balmy, if a bit breezy. Urala spent the majority of the day cooking a large feast for the event, and Polly had come from Sailor's Isle with her family to aid the Yafutoman girl with such a large task. Between Polly, Urala and Anne a large amount of food was made, not to mention a series of tables set up beneath banners in the square. Ropes strung with lanterns crisscrossed each other high over the tables, providing a soft light from the red, yellow and blue moonstones burning within them. 

Vyse stood next to the head table where he, Fina and Aika were to be seated later on and looked at his drink glumly. He wasn't exactly angry with Aika, at least that's what he kept telling himself. It's just that sometimes she could be so damn...Aika. That's the only way to term it; the one way to deem any of Aika's actions is to define them as "Aika-like". Nobody really seemed to maintain a childish core beneath a rough tomboy exterior like she did. She had perfected "Aika-like" when she was younger, and now at the age of seventeen she had gotten it down to an art. She did it so well and played her role on her own imaginary stage so flawlessly that she got away with it. And this is why Vyse stood by himself, staring at a glass of mur loqua. Some people may consider her behavior cute, but Vyse simply found it annoying. 

Something brushed up against his shoulder, and he glanced up to see a somewhat shapeless quicksilver face a few inches from his own. Cupil made one of the strange sounds it always made and rolled slightly to the side. 

"If you're trying to cheer me up, good luck. I'm still cranky." He took a sip from his glass, and sighed. "Well...I think I'm still cranky. Not too sure." 

The creature sighed, made a face and shifted form into something resembling a cone. It quickly orbited around Vyse's head while making noises that can be compared to "vroom". 

"Argg....cut it out already." He swatted at Cupil, who shifted back to its normal form, stuck its tongue out and lashed the pirate in the ear with it. Vyse made a disgusted sound and made a grab for the silver creature, but missed. Muttering, he turned as Cupil flew past again and lunged for it, only to nearly grab Fina in the face. Cupil shrunk down in size and darted into Fina's bodice, making a bubbly cooing sound that was its equivilent of laughter. Vyse crossed his arms. "Yeah sure...little snot...go the one place I won't chase you." 

Fina put her hand over her breasts a bit defensively anyway. "It's only trying to cheer you up, Vyse. You've been sulking ever since this afternoon." 

"Yeah, I know. I'm just a bit sour about not being able to have a gift for you. Especially when I went out of my way to get the one I had before the incident earlier today." 

She smiled. "But isn't it the thought that counts? I'm happy that you did all of...whatever in order to get me those tickets. As much as I'd like to go to a dinner theatre, I'm just as happy staying here at this party, and spending it with my friends." A small noise came from somewhere in her shirt. "Cupil agrees too...so don't worry about it." 

He looked up at the paper lanterns, and then gave a short laugh. "Heh, you're right. So I'm out some money and you're out a gift. It's not like we can't get back either." 

Fina leaned against the table and looked ahead at something past Vyse. "That's more like it. Now I just want one more thing..." 

"Name it." 

She smirked at him, and pointed past him into the crowd. "Apologize to Aika, and forgive her." 

Vyse looked over his shoulder to where she was pointing, and saw Aika sitting near the fountain, looking at the water quietly. He suddenly realized that she probably had been moping the same way he was a few minutes ago. "I guess....but she owes me an apology too." 

"I'm sure she will, I know she feels bad about this. She told me herself. Not only that, but she's been quiet all day, and we both know Aika doesn't really get quiet." She pushed him towards the fountain. "Go make up so we can eat dinner without any uncomfortable moments, okay?" 

"Okay okay, I'm going...yeesh." He walked through the crowd towards the center of the square, and sat down on the edge of the fountain, not exactly facing her. "Hey." 

"Hi." She didn't even look up, just splashed at the water with her hand. She was quiet for a moment, and then gave him a sidelong glance. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk, Vyse." 

"Nah, I should apologize myself for blowing up like that." He turned towards her and grinned. "You know, the two of us really should stop this competitive garbage. I'm tired of getting mad at you." 

She smirked and splashed a bit of water at him. "Same here. I'll knock it off if you knock it off." She extended a hand. 

"Deal." He shook it. "Now that we're not not-talking-to-each-other anymore, let's go back over to Fina. I think it's time we embarass the birthday girl in front of everybody." 

Aika gave him a funny look. "You're not going to spank her eighteen times, are you Vyse? Because if you do, I swear by all the moons I'll kick your ass." 

He stood, laughing. "I might be crazy at times, but I'm not THAT crazy." 

From there on the party ensued without any more unpleasantness. Vyse and Aika both gave speeches about the birthday girl who was in fact embarassed from all the attention. If Fina wasn't blushing from head to toe, she was blinking away tears of happiness. The only other time she behaved differently was when Aika gave her a locket and said it was from "me and Vyse", to which Fina responded with a sly smile. 

A few hours into the party, a small ship pulled into the port, one of the many small shoreboats that the Delphinus had. While some of the party-goers didn't notice it, Aika did. 

"Who's that coming in, Vyse?" she said, pointing to the blinking lights of the small vessel. 

He squinted at it, adjusted his skyseer patch and frowned. "Hm...looks like it's Domingo. I guess he's back already...I sort of expected him to be gone for at least a year." He stood and looked over at his two female companions. "I think it'd be best if I greet him. You two can stay here, if you want. He'll probably come over to the party for some food and loqua anyway." 

"All right by me." Fina said, feeding small morsels of leftover food to Cupil. 

The wharf was fairly dark as Vyse walked down the various ramps to the docks, many of the torches let to go out to conserve fuel. Domingo was stepping out of his small ship that Vyse had loaned him, looking a bit smug about something. Domingo always got that expression on his face when he had outdone his competition...and that competition was always Vyse. 

"Hey there, Domingo. You're back sooner than I thought." 

The explorer grinned and shook hands. "Cap'n Vyse, same as always...you always seem to greet people like they're your best friend, as if you just saw them yesterday." 

"Habit pounded into my thick skull by my father. And although I'm going to regret asking this...why the huge grin?" 

Domingo reached into his pocket and pulled out a small golden object and plunked it into Vyse's hand. "You never really explored all of Rolana, did you?" 

Vyse looked at the small item, which felt fairly heavy for its size. It was a life-size scarab made of pure yellow and blue gold, inlaid with a fairly impressive ruby. The detailing on its shell and the legs was amazingly accurate and lifelike. "This...was there?" He held it up to the light to admire the gem in it. "Amazing...I've never seen any treasure this beautiful anywhere in the Nasr kingdom." He glanced at Domingo. "Tell me there's more..." 

The treasure hunter laughed at Vyse's almost hungry expression. "There's more all right, but here's the real kick to the face: you can't get to it anymore." 

"Why not? What happened to it?" 

"Rolana isn't accessable anymore, Vyse. The East-Nasr Rift has swallowed it up." 


	3. Chapter 2 -- From One to the Next

Lunar Cycle -- Chapter 2 ** CHAPTER TWO:  
From One to the Next**

They gathered in the meeting room stituated above the whaft, the party below nearly forgotten. Domingo was obviously worn out from his voyage, but he refused to rest or eat until he could share his tale with Vyse and company. The black-haired adventurer stood at the long meeting table, leaning over some maps there with Vyse standing beside him. 

"I think I'm ready to start, Cap'n." He flickered his eyes up to the door just as Centime entered the room. "Oh good, Cap'n Centime. You'll want to hear this too." 

"Indeed," Centime said, pulling up a chair to sit next to Fina. "somehow I knew something exciting would happen at this place once I recieved the party invite." 

Vyse was turning the gold scarab over and over in his hands, frowning a bit ruefully. "And this is all you could get?" 

"Sadly, yeah. I had some treasures sorted, but that's the only one I had on me when the rift drifted in." He shrugged. "I'm just as disappointed as you are, but I know I was lucky to get out of there with my ship in one piece. Despite the gear and treasure I left behind, making it away alive doesn't leave me with any huge regrets." 

"Mr. Domingo, would you mind explaining your rift problems in detail?" Centime inquired. "I'm beginning to think this is related to something else." 

Domingo nodded. "Yeah, sure. Just as long as you share your little "something else" when I'm done here." He stood and leaned over a large detailed map of the world that was spread out on the table. "Here's a map of Arcadia from about three or four months ago after Soltis sank back into Deep Sky, a duplicate of the one Vyse made. As you can see, even small islands, major reef stones and of course sky rifts are all drawn in and even labled. Not only that, but things are fairly to scale." He glanced across the table at Vyse, who was also leaning over the map. "Tell me, how wide is a sky rift?" 

"It all depends, really. Some of the minor ones beneath the Silver moon are only a half a mile across, and easily passable for a larger ship. But then again, there are some bigger ones like this one," Vyse pointed to the large rift that ran east of Rolana. "...the one you told me about, is between three leagues and eleven miles across. Depending on the time of the years, location along the rift and other things like that are what cause it to vary." 

"Er...yeah. Thanks for the science lesson." Domingo rubbed at his neck. 

"Well you DID ask..." Vyse said a bit defensively. "And why did you ask, anyway? How thick was the East-Nasr Rift when it snuck up on you?" 

Domingo calmly began to unroll another smaller map. "At least eight leagues." 

Vyse quickly looked up at the treasure hunter incredulously. "What?! That's almost thirty miles!" 

"Why would a sky rift be so big?" Aika asked. "I mean, I know they change but there's no reason one should get that big." 

"I'm not sure..." Domingo laid out his map, and pointed to it. "This is a rough map I made, after the rift snuck in. It's probably not one-hundred percent to scale, but it's hard flying near a rift in such a small ship. As you can see, the rift has pretty much swallowed up the eastern part of Nasr here....but no harm done. Nobody lives out there anyway." 

Vyse set the scarab down on the table. "Not anymore....but they did. I wonder if this is why Rolana was just....deserted at one point. Maybe the rift has a tendancy to do that from time to time." 

Fina picked up the scarab and looked at it almost sadly. "A civilization and all its wonders driven away by a rift? That's sort of sad..." 

"Sad, but probably true, miss." Centime stood to look at the map better. "Hm, I see. Well I can honestly say that this could prove to be a problem..." 

"Yeah....no treasure for us." Aika pouted. 

"Well, not exactly that...I'm speaking about how it effects the entire world." He looked at Vyse. "Mr. Vyse, would you say that South Ocean is totally impassable, seeing that you've gone through it several times?" 

The pirate looked up from Domingo's map. "Impassable? Of course not. If I can do it, anybody can do it. Besides, it was sort of calmer after the whole Soltis incident." 

"I doubt even you could do it now, Mr. Vyse. My ship had to come here via North Ocean and then over Valua. It was simply too...intimidating. You see, instead of the almost stationary twisters that are dotted across South Ocean, there are massive storms covering almost the whole sea; instead of just flinging a ship off course, these tornadoes rip a ship to shreds. I took one look at those storms and decided I didn't want to risk my ship or my crew. And I also ask you...haven't you noticed that we've been getting more thunderstorms recently?" 

"For the past few months we've been sailing near Nasr and Valua." He looked at his female companions, both of which nodded in agreement with what Vyse was saying. "We all figured that it was just a cycle of the Yellow moon to create strong thunderstorms." 

Centime shook his head. "Why then would there be strong storms where I live, under the Green moon? The Yellow moon can't cause them on practically the other side of the world, can it? It's all very strange to me, and while I think the storms, South Ocean and even this rift problem are all connected, I can't see of any way how they would in fact be related." 

Aika nudged Vyse. "Hey, why don't we take a little trip to investigate this? I know the perfect place to go." 

"I'm way ahead of you, Aika. I think I'd like to talk to Ilchymis about this, since he seems to know everything and anything. Besides, he'd probably like to look at this scarab that Domingo found." 

The adventurer shrugged. "Eh, keep it...it's not like I have use for one little bit of treasure anyway." He stood. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm damn hungry." 

* * * 

The next day, preperations were made and supplies loaded onto to the Belleza. Vyse refused any sort of crew, saying it was a trip "just for fun", and the ship could be manned well enough with only three people. 

"It's not like we're going to war with anybody, so nobody needs to man the guns. As for the engine, I know how to take care of it if something goes wrong, and so does Fina." He sternly looked at Hans, who had already grown taller than his captain. "Don't give me puppy-dog eyes, you're not going." 

Hans sighed. "Aye, cap'n. Whatever you say." 

"Besides, you have to stay here and help your father. I'm technically leaving him in charge, but he'll need a lot of help in managing things." 

The young man's eyes brightened. "Really? You'd let me do that?" 

Vyse laughed. "I remember when I sounded like you....and yeah. I know you're a bright, responsible guy, Hans. Just don't blow the place up while I'm gone. And don't let Centime do anything funny with the Delphinus' engines either...I know what that look in his eye means." 

Hans grinned and saluted. "Aye sir...you've got it. Good luck on your trip." 

Vyse turned and walked to where Aika was waiting, and headed up the gangplank with her to the Belleza's deck. "I think we're ready now." 

The female air pirate smiled. "Do you know what you just did for Hans? I've never seen him grin this big, not since you signed him up for our crew." 

He vaulted over the rail and onto the deck. "Yeah, but he's a good kid. I trust him." 

Aika leapt and landed next to him. "He's a lot like somebody I know a few years ago..." 

"Really? Hm, I guess you're right...I was a bit like that, wasn't I?" He laughed. "No wonder I drove my dad nuts." 

The two of them walked into the bridge, Vyse taking his position near the wheel. "All right, start the engines. I'm anxious to be off." 

Fina looked up from the gauges she was watching as the engine whirred to life. "But, aren't you always anxious to be off?" 

"No comment," murmured Aika. 

Slowly, the medium-sized ship pulled out of the port and into the open sky. The Belleza wasn't an extravagant ship, but it wasn't simple either. It was built as a gift to Vyse from his father on his eighteenth birthday with the comment that "real rogues have wooden ships". While his father was impressed with the Delphinus, he obviously didn't think it suited his son or the family business. Hence, a near-replica of the Albatross was built, with some modifications. Vyse's ship itself was a bit wider, and it only had two main masts instead of three. The cabins below were designed for longer trips, and the hold was smaller to make room for a conference room, a kitchen and a dining room. It was designed to be Vyse's ship and to suit Vyse's needs, no matter what they may be. The ship lacked a name when it was presented, however; Dyne left the naming up to his son. The young blue rogue immediately declared the ship to be named "Belleza" after the late admiral for the Valuan empire, as a mean of memorium and respect. 

Aika leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and looked out the window at the open sky. "Looks like it'll be rough sailing if we're not careful." 

Fina glanced up from the map she was consulting, and looked at the front of stormclouds to the southwest. "Those are probably out near Nasrad. I think if we're careful and keep a course close to Valua or even north over Valua, we'll avoid them." 

"What would be the point of sailing into the storms over Valua in order to avoid some thunderstorms elsewhere?" Aika shook her head, and looked at the purple-tinged clouds. "It seems stupid to me...we should just go to the south and keep our normal course through the South Dannel Strait." 

"Thunderstorms over the desert are always more severe than the ones caused by the yellow moon." Vyse said mildly. "The ones over Valua are usually all noise and lightning, and not too much rain. The ones that sweep over Nasr tend to be a bit scarier, and can have some very nasty air currents to them that you'd have to be nuts to sail through." 

"But you are nuts, Vyse." 

"Despite that, Fina's right; we should avoid the storms to the south. I don't mind going north over Valua, even if it's a bit unscenic." He gave the wheel a spin and started the ship on a west-northwest course. 

The trip went somewhat uneventfully. They hit some thunderstorms over Valua, as usual, but nothing overly threatening. Lightning generally didn't hit mostly wooden ships like the Belleza, so while there was quite a light show on either side of the medium-sized craft there were no problems. They dropped anchor for the night a bit south of the Maw of Tartas, and then continued westward along the mountains that made up the spine of the continent. It was fairly early in the evening of the second day when they finally saw the lights of the entryway. Where the once-proud Grand Fortress stood was an open concrete strait, lined with blinking lights and patrolled by the occasional customs ship. Various merchant ships from Mid-Ocean, Valua and Nasr flew through the massive passageway, unmolested by the customs ships for the most part. While the apperance of the entryway was nothing like the Grand Fortress once was, its overwhelming size still made it somewhat intimidating. 

"I remember when I dreaded seeing that entrance...although it was the Fortress back then." Vyse commented. 

Aika peered at the massive mixture of concrete and bedrock. "Yeah, but at least now Enrique decided to make it a more friendly front door than the Grand Fortress was. He obviously doesn't want to make the city of Valua as stand-offish as it was." 

The Belleza had started to slowly pull into the man-made canyon when a Valuan vessel started straight towards them. 

"Customs?" Fina wondered. 

"Probably, now that people go in and out of there all the time. They probably want to check our papers and all that garbage." He grunted. "A world of fun." 

"Vyse, I don't think that's a customs ship, judging by the banner. That's the banner of Enrique's family." She squinted. 

"Do you need glasses or something, Aika?" Vyse jeered. "You seem to squint a lot lately." 

"Shut up Vyse, my eyes are fine." She stopped squinting. "They're signaling us to stop, and to let them pull up next to us." 

"They'd better not try to board us." Fina said. "Nasty situations seem to happen whenever we get boarded." 

Vyse brought the ship to a halt partway through the long passageway, and the larger imperial ship pulled up alongside. The three pirates went up on deck to meet whomever it was in a somewhat irritated fashion. The party on the other deck was an important-looking man flanked by two imperial guards. 

The man flashed a pleasant smile and bowed in respect. "Captain Vyse, welcome." 

"Hello." He didn't even bother asking how this man knew who he was; most people knew him by sight now, if not by his flag. "Can I ask why we were stopped?" 

"Of course, Captain. My name is Chandler, and I'm the first admiral of the Armada. Emperor Enrique sent me out to escort you in." 

"You knew we were coming?" the silvite asked. 

Chandler smiled pleasantly again. "Yes, Miss Fina. We still have ships patrolling the skies of our territory, and a few spotted your ship. We sent word to the Emperor because we knew you were friends of his. Naturally, he sent us to greet you." 

Vyse gave a lopsided smirk. "Heh, just like Enrique. Well, lead the way, Chandler." 

They were escorted through the rest of the entryway and into the open area that housed the city of Valua. The recent moonstone rains had nearly destroyed the entire city, but the citizens seemed almost undaunted. Both Lower City and Upper City were slowly rebuilding, in a sense. 

"Would you look at that," Aika leaned forward , almost pressing her face against the window of the bridge's cabin. "It looks like they're building Upper and Lower City intermixed." 

Vyse zoomed in with his skyseer patch. "Hey, you're right. There seems to be some sort of middle ground there. I can see the people building the houses...they seem pretty decent, but not overly expensive. Except for that large building...hm." He adjusted the patch to see normally. "I'll bet Moegi had some part in that. If anybody, she wouldn't want to see a major class seperation like that. I'll bet Lower City is signifigantly getting cleaned up and renovated from what I saw in that...middle...area." 

"Middle City?" Fina suggested. 

"That's probably what it is." the redheaded pirate said. "I'll want to check it out later, if we can." 

"What can it hurt?" Vyse continued to follow Chandler's ship to the newly-built port between Upper City and "Middle City". A large bridge spanned between the area next to the port and where the palace used to be. The rubble of the old palace had been removed, and now some sort of park lit by electric lamps stood in its place. Some sort of tents were being erected there, along with various decorations in red, black and gold--the colors of the Valuan empire's crest. 

"Festive," Aika commented. "but what is it for?" 

"I have a feeling we'll find out. That's Enrique standing there on the dock next to Chandler." Vyse brought the Belleza up into the designated port that Chandler's ship pointed out to him, and let the engines shut down. As soon as the ship slowed to a halt, several dock workers started tying her down to prevent her from drifting away. Vyse turned to his two female companions. "Well, shall we?" 

Enrique seemed different somehow, even in the few months since the pirates had seen him. His normally pleasant facial expression still was pleasant, but it wasn't forced like it used to be. The look of happiness on his face was genuine, as was the joy shining in his blue eyes. Moegi too seemed to share a similar expression. 

"Married people..." Aika murmured as they stepped onto the dock. Her companions chortled under their breath as they walked up to the Emperor and Empress. 

"Something amusing?" Enrique asked, his greeting forgotten. 

"Nah, nothing at all." Vyse said as he warmly shook his friend's hand. "How have you been Enrique?" 

"Happy, yet busy." the Emperor answered truthfully. "While I admit that married life suits me, the stress of rebuilding an empire weighs heavily upon me and Moegi. I knew it would be a lot of work, but I never could've imagined that it would have been this much." 

Fina scanned the skyline of the city with her green eyes. "Yes, but look at all you've accomplished. It's amazing that Valua has recovered from the Rains so quickly. Not to mention that, but the people here seem...happier." 

"It's because they have a sense of purpose now." Enrique said, motioning them to walk. "Before, the citizens of Upper City sat around in clubs and casinos, at snobby parties...and for what? To flaunt their money? To show off their family lineage? I decided that was just plain disgusting, so I ordered each to donate money to help rebuild our city. Some really hated it, but had to comply." he said with a dark smirk. 

"Let's just say Enrique didn't make many friends in Upper City after he became Emperor." Moegi said, adding to the story. "They didn't like the fact that he also favored the poor living in Lower City, and how he decided to make them spend their money to fund the reconstruction of what they thought should stay as miserable hovels." 

"Some people are just plain disgusting." Aika said hotly. "I can't stand people like that." 

"I can't either." the Emperor replied. "However some people seemed to fall between the lines...they lived in Upper City, but hated the way many people there thought. They wanted to help their fellow Valuans....and I thought they should be rewarded somehow. So that's why Middle City was born." 

"Heh, you were right, Fina..." Vyse smirked. He then saw Enrique and Moegi's expressions. "When we were pulling into port, Fina commented that it seemed like you were building a "Middle City"." 

"We are." Moegi smiled. "Some people had decent money, but still couldn't afford to live in Upper City. Others had money, but seriously disliked the Upper City attitude. For these people, we created a seperate class of sorts, and a seperate section of the city. Middle City is a place where people are more or less equal, and don't make judgements based on income or bloodlines. It's also a lot safer to live in than Lower City." 

"It's also where we built the new palace." Enrique indicated the large building at the end of the avenue that they were walking down, through Middle City. "I didn't want to entirely seperate myself from the people like the older palace did, but at the same time I didn't want to favor the rich class or risk living in Lower City. So I placed it in the middle of Middle City, which is pretty much at the central point between all of the Capital. The construction of most of the city and the palace is pretty much complete, so tomorrow is a festival day to celebrate." 

"That would explain the decorations, huh?" the young captain glanced at the banners and lanterns that were being strung from various houses and storefronts. "If there's a festival, then we have to definately stick around for it." 

"Actually Vyse, you're not only invited to the festival, but the three of you are invited to a banquet at the palace. A party of sorts thrown in celebration for us stuffed peacocks...or more like for those who donated their money to help rebuild Valua." 

"A...party?" The expression on his face hovered somewhere between chagrin and excitement. 

"Yes." said Moegi. "A formal banquet, with guests from all over the world." 

"Formal?" Vyse's expression was starting to slide more towards chagrin. 

Enrique laughed. "Well of course it's formal. There'll be music, food, dancing...all sorts of entertainment." 

"Dancing..." Chagrin was shifting into distaste. 

"Doesn't it sound wonderful, Vyse?" Fina said brightly, grabbing onto his arm. "I've never been to a formal party before....I'm sure it's quite a bit of fun." 

Aika slapped him on the back happily. "Yeah, she's right. We'll have a great time, even if we have to dress up." 

Vyse sighed ruefully. "Well if you two seem so excited about it, I guess I can't say no, can I?" 

The leaders of Valua continued to lead the pirates down the main avenue of Middle City, for the most part ignoring Vyse's sullen expression. Neither of them exactly thought he'd be excited about a formal party, so neither could blame him for his reaction. Aika idly chattered on with Chandler, who was part of their escort. 

"I'm the First Admiral, yes, but there are still others." Chandler was saying. "There aren't six anymore though. There are only three so far, which is more than enough for a country that isn't on the offensive anymore." 

"Then what is it you admirals do?" Aika inquired. "You guys obviously aren't at war anymore, and I know you aren't out to conquer the world either." 

The admiral gave a pleasant smile. "Well, my job is to oversee most of the happenings near the capital that Enrique or Moegi can't handle. For instance, tracking you three down was something I had to take care of. I also maintain security, but more so within the city than anyplace else. Valua now has a complete police force, something that the Lower City people are grateful for. As for my comrades...the other two admirals, well..." He pointed at a building under construction. "That there will be a library. The reconstruction effort along with the relief troops sent to aid those who suffered from the moonstone rains is lead by the Second Admiral, Lady Maria." 

"Lady Maria?" Aika stopped looking at the library and turned to look up at Chandler. "Is she nobility?" 

"Yes, she's actually a distant cousin of the late Alfonso. However, she distanced herself from that part of her family about ten years ago, when their actions disgusted her beyond belief. She's one of the few in Upper City that would rather use their money for something worthwhile, instead of spending it on lavish clothes or the like. Maria is one of the larger contributers towards building Middle City; Emperor Enrique was so impressed with her efforts, that he bestowed the title of Second Admiral upon her." 

Enrique smiled. "Well, that and the fact that her grades were outstanding at the acadamy. She's only a few scant years older than I am, but her understanding of the world, of people and of economics is decades beyond any of us." 

"Who's the Third Admiral?" Vyse asked, too interested in the conversation to sulk. 

"Proffessor Remaro." Chandler replied. "He's well past middle age, but he was the best candidate for the job. He's very world-worthy, an anthropologist and sociologist that's studied in various parts of Nasr and Ixa'Taka. He also has a keen eye for mechanics and technology, so he's the head of the technology department. He just recently came back from Yafutoma last month, so he's doing his best to expand Valua's horizons and bring in new fresh ideas from other lands." 

"And some people from other lands too." Moegi added. "At my prompting, he brought back some engineers and their families from Yafutoma. It's a bit nice to see some more of my people around here, and to see some of their technology put to work." 

"I want a few more "admirals" though." The emperor shrugged a bit sheepishly. "It sounds selfish, and I don't want to seem like my mother....but then again, the title no longer means the same thing it did before. I have one particular candidate in mind for fourth, and that's Ilchymis the doctor. He has a clinic open in Lower City though, and he says he needs time to consider it. I invited him to the ball tomorrow as a guest of honor, and to hear how he stands on the matter. I think that his addition to our team would be stellar, though; he's one of the brightest people I've ever met, not to mention of one of the kindest." 

"I know what you mean." the young captain gave his lopsided grin. "He was in my crew for only half a year, but I really valued the time he was with us. And everybody took to him too, he was a real people person. I'm also hoping to speak to him about something..." Vyse stopped as they walked up the grounds of a fairly large house. "Why we stopping here?" 

Enrique chuckled. "Vyse, this is where you three are staying." 

Fina's eyes widened a bit as she looked at the opulant building. "We're staying...here?" 

"Well of course you are." Moegi giggled. "Nothing but the best for our friends. You can wait here until the ball tomorrow evening. I'll send some tailors to fit you with proper dress." 

"Goodie." The rueful expression slid over Vyse's scarred face again. He grunted when Aika elbowed him a bit harshly in the ribs. "Er, what else is there for us to do while we wait? You said Ilchymis is gonna be at that party tomorrow, right?" 

"Right. You'll have plenty of opportunity to speak to him then. Until that time, you're free to take a look at Middle City. I also took the liberty of stocking the library in the house. I remember how Vyse practically devoured every last book I brought along with me when you ahem, "kidnapped" me and the Delphinus." 

"You're acting like it's a bad thing," Vyse said with a grin. 

"For a man with no formal education, you sure read a lot. In any case, the library is at your disposal." Enrique's face went grim. "Oh, and one last thing before we go on our way. I have some sad news to give to you." 

Vyse's grin faded. "What's that?" 

"Drachma was here a week ago. While he was here, he passed away." 

Aika put her hand to her mouth in shock. "Cap'n Drachma's...gone? How?" 

"I only know a few of the details." Enrique fixed his eyes on something in the distance, his expression unchanging. "He was fishing nearby in Mid-Ocean when his whole right side went numb. He panicked a bit, and came here to Valua to see what was wrong. He was admitted to a clinic, and Ilchymis himself examined him. Apparently, Drachma had a stroke...and another one was eminent. He had a second one three days later, and passed away." 

Fina's eyes teared up. "Poor Drachma...and we didn't even get to see him befored he died." 

Vyse put an arm around her shoulders, and looked at Enrique. "What did you do with his body?" 

"I gave him a sea burial, as I thought was fit. We would have asked you to the funeral, but we couldn't get ahold of you." 

The scarred blue rogue nodded. "That's all right, he was buried like a sailor, and that's what counts. He would've wanted that. What about the Little Jack?" 

"It's enshrined at the Memorial Harbor in Upper City, where we have certain ships of honor docked. Many people came to see it too...I'm sure Drachma would have been pleased." He sighed. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Please don't let it dampen your spirits while you're here, we both know Drachma wouldn't want you to be upset." He smiled at Fina. "So please don't cry." 

"I-I'm sorry...I'm always so emotional." She wiped at her eyes and shrugged Vyse's arm off her shoulders. "I'm all right now. Shall we go inside, Aika?" 

"Yeah." Aika said quietly, and the two went into the house without further comment. 

Vyse watched them go. "I know the two of them really liked Drachma, and respected him. I hope this party of yours will brighten their spirits, because I'm lousy and cheering them up at times." 

Moegi gave a small smile. "Vyse, I think you're the one person in the world that can cheer them up best. Shall we go Enrique, Chandler?" 

Enrique gave a small nod. "I'll see you tomorrow, Vyse." He then turned, and walked away with his wife and the First Admiral. Vyse stood and watched them walk away for a bit, then sighed and headed into the house. 

* * * 

Not even an hour later, a tailor and her assistants arrived at the pirate's guest house, with bolts of cloth, measuring tape, and businesslike expressions. They immediately whisked past Aika when she opened the door, even before the female pirate could say anything. 

"Um, hi there." She said as the line of people filed into the front hall of the building. Most of them didn't pay her heed, but one looked at her in particular, a short and stout woman of middle years with a red face. 

"Oh my...it looks as if I have my work cut out for me." she said, looking Aika up and down. "A redhead that wears yellow, tsk. And look at those braids...where in the world did you come up with that hairdo?" 

Aika turned a bit red in the face. "I like yellow, and I don't care what people think. And I have my braids like this because it a) keeps my hair out of my face and b) annoys a lot of people. You don't think I go around like a scarecrow constantly, do you?" 

The fat woman gave a full-bodied laugh. "My, such a hothead. I didn't mean to offend you dear. Where are your two friends? I need to look you all over." 

"Uh, Vyse is upstairs and Fina is in the sitting room...it's through that door there. I'll go get Vyse." 

The woman put her hands to her ruddy cheeks, and seemed to turn a shade redder. "Vyse? The legendary blue rogue Vyse? Oh be still my heart, I get to work on him?" 

Aika rolled her eyes and started up the stairs. "Oh please, you're not yet another one of those women that get all giddy about him, are you?" 

"Well you probably don't know it dear, but many women dream of men like Vyse." 

"Uh-huh, sure they do. VYYYSE!! THE TAILORS ARE HEEEERE!" 

"Aargg..." came a voice from up the stairs. Vyse walked around the corner, holding a book in one hand and wriggling a finger in his ear with the other. "You didn't have to yell so loud...I think they heard you in Horteka." 

"That's him?" the portly tailor blinked. "I always thought he'd be....taller." 

"Disappointing, isn't he?" Aika smirked up the stairs at Vyse. 

"Now wait a minute, what were you telling them, Aika?" He stomped down the stairs, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Don't listen to anything my friend says, she has the tendancy to exaggerate things." 

Aika's face grew dangerous, but she didn't say anything. 

"Well so this is Vyse. Very nice to meet you Captain Vyse, my name is Rita." She gave something that was a cross between a bow and a curtsey. 

"Nice to meet you. You already met my friend, Aika. Oh, and the girl who just came through the doorway is our friend, Fina." 

Fina had shuffled into the room, a cup of tea in her hands. "Aika, I heard you yelling something about tailors?" 

"Oh my..mymymymy..." Rita bustled over to the Silvite, looking her over. "How delightful! A perfect hourglass figure." 

Fina blushed, not sure to be offended or flattered. "Um...?" 

"Look at that pale skin...and large lovely green eyes. And with that pale blonde hair...you'd look best in blue. Do you like blue?" 

"Why yes, it's my favorite color." 

Rita clasped her hands in front of her happily. "Wonderful, dear! I know the perfect look for you....I can whip up some drawings really quick." 

"Thank you very much, that would be very nice." She smiled. 

"And such a beautiful smile too. I had no idea that a group of pirates could be such beautiful people. Especially you." She headed over to Vyse. "You might not be very tall, but you're definately a looker." 

"Uh, thanks?" Vyse obviously didn't know how to take Rita's compliments either. 

"Such an eye color, too. You rarely see somebody with amber eyes, especially in Valua. And what long eyelashes..." 

"Don't flatter him too much, Rita; it'll all go to his head." Aika put her hands on her hips. "Right Fina?" 

Fina sipped her tea and giggled. "Vyse is normally modest, until you start complimenting his looks. Then all his common sense goes out the window." 

"Oh great, now the two of you are ganging up on me again." he sighed. "You guys act as if I spend my days in front of a mirror." 

Aika grinned. "It's so fun to tease him. Well Rita, whenever you're ready to start." 

"Oh yes, right away. Let's go into that room over there and shut the door...we have work to do." She eyed Vyse carefully. "And no peeking, young man." 

"You've gotten the wrong impression about me. I'm a gentleman, I won't peek in on my friends. Besides, I'd rather go back to the library where it's quiet. I'll be there if you need me." He turned and headed back up the stairs. 

"I'll send for you in a little while, Mr. Vyse." She turned to Aika and Fina with a sly wink. "What a cute little rear end on him too..." 

Vyse visably flinched at that comment, but continued up the stairs, trying to maintain some of his dignity. He still slammed the library door after he had gotten upstairs, though. 

Aika laughed. "Oh, I LIKE her, Fina." 

The two young women were shown various drawings that Rita deftly drew up, along with various bolts of fabric. As soon as they had chosen what they wanted, the portly seamstress got to work measuring them, and shouting orders to her assistants. 

"I never knew that so much went into making fine clothing..." Fina commented as she stood in her undergarments while Rita measured her waist. 

"Oh, plenty does, dear." Rita seemed to call all young women "dear". "It's something some take for granted, but I don't mind as much. At least I don't take it for granted....it's something I really enjoy." She measured the Silvite's shoulders. "I admit when I saw what you two ladies were wearing, I shuddered. Sailor's clothing was never to my taste." 

"It's functional, not pretty. We don't really care about our looks half the time. It's just Vyse with us anyway." 

"Yes, and Vyse doesn't seem to be interested in our looks." Fina said as Rita measured her arms. She then frowned. "You know, he COULD compliment us once in a while." 

"It's not his nature." Aika was lounging on the sofa of the sitting room, drinking a cup of tea. "I've known Vyse ever since he was five, and he never seems to compliment his female friends. Not that he really knows a lot about women anyway. He's a real dork at times." 

Rita took on a pained expression. "You're ruining my perception of him, dear. How am I going to tell stories about him to my girlfriends when you keep making him seem like a stick in the mud?" 

"We're just setting the facts straight about our friend, that's all." She sipped her tea and jiggled her foot. "Everybody wants to rig up Vyse like he's some romantic hero, or a giant that breathes fire or whatever....but he's nothing more than a normal guy. A normal guy that seemed to always be caught up in the middle of something major. I think Vyse acted as anybody would, really." 

"Do you mean stubborn and somewhat insane at times?" Fina started getting dressed, her measurements done. 

"Okay, I admit his actions are sometimes...unorthadox. There were plenty of sitatuations that I definately would of turned tail and fled from, but I couldn't do that. You know me, I have to stick by him." The female pirate smirked. 

Rita looked up from her measurment notes. "Oh, are you two together? I thought he wasn't taken." 

Aika wrinkled her nose. "Me? And Vyse?" She laughed. "No, it's not like that. Things are strictly plutonic, although I'm sure plenty of rumors pop up. We've been best friends ever since we were small, and that's how it's always gonna be." She smiled, albeit a bit bitterly. 

The dressmaker nodded. "I see. Then I won't assume anything...I can see now that you three are friends and nothing more." She gathered up her papers and tape measure. "Well, I'm off to measure your friend. I hope he doesn't get funny about it....he seems to be pretty touchy for a living legend." 

"Touchy is a very polite way of putting it." Fina was mostly dressed, and was pulling her boots back on. "But I wouldn't worry, Rita. Even if he doesn't want to get dressed up, he'll do it anyway. He shouldn't get "funny"." 

However, "funny" was just the start of it. At first Vyse seemed somewhat irritated about being pulled away from his book, but he didn't exactly comment. He refused to strip down like his female counterparts did, and the most Rita could get him to do was remove his blue coat, belt, scarf and boots. Things seemed to be going very well, until a yelp was heard from upstairs. Aika and Fina exchanged a look, then both dashed up the stairs to see what had caused Vyse to yipe like a puppy. 

They practically ran into him as they rounded the corner to where his bedroom would be. His face was fairly red, and his teeth were locked into some sort of grimace. 

"Are you okay, Vyse?" Fina asked. 

The scarred pirate spluttered angrily and pointed a shaking finger at Rita, who was bustling down the hall after him. "Th...that woman! She grabbed me!!" 

"Mr. Vyse! Please come back, I'm not finished!" Rita hurried to some degree up to the three pirates, panting a bit from chasing the blue rogue around. 

Aika looked at Rita, then at Vyse. "Oh please...don't flatter yourself. Why would she grab you?" 

He took a somewhat defensive position behind the two of them, still red in the face. "I don't know why, she just did! She grabbed my groin and then tried to convince me that _it's her job!!_" 

Rita took on a pained expression. "Mr. Vyse...I didn't grab you...I had to measure your inseam. Please don't exaggerate like that....I'm not trying to get fresh." 

He shook an angry finger at her. "Yeah right....first you get all gooshy about my looks, then make a comment about my butt to my friends, then try to get me to take my clothes off, and then you grope me! I don't know what's customary here in Valua, but from where I come from you don't feel people up because you feel like it!" He snarled. "Stop laughing at me!" 

Aika was practically rolling on the floor, tears rolling down her face, while Fina was laughing so hard she had some sort of snort going. Rita, however, stood there wringing her hands with an apologetic look on her face. 

"Mr. Vyse...I really didn't mean to touch...er...you there. Look, I just have to measure your shoulders and neck, and I'm all set. Can't I at least finish?" 

Aika stood up, holding onto Vyse for support. "Yeah, Mr. Vyse....be a sport. It was an accident...things happen." She covered her mouth and tried unsuccessfully to stop the laughter from coming. 

He crossed his arms. "Why should I?" 

Fina had stopped laughing to some degree. "Because it's only fair....we stood there for a long time, and we had to get undressed. At least she's letting you wear your shirt and pants....and she really does seem sincere. I'm sure it was an accident." She giggled. "Your ears are all red...you look funny." 

"Please don't pick on me now," he said in a pained voice. "...I'm really not in the best of moods." He sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "But my mood isn't gonna improve either. I might as well let Rita finish her job. I don't want to hold her up here, it's getting late." Vyse turned to the portly woman with an apologetic expression on his face. "Sorry if I got a bit upstartish....I really shouldn't complain and should just let you do your job." 

Rita smiled pleasantly. "It's all right, Mr. Vyse. I can understand why you got edgy....but I'm just doing my job. Can we finish now?" 

"Sure." His ears turned a bit red again. "But uh...no groping this time." 


	4. Chapter 3 -- The Ball (sort of)

Lunar Cycle -- Chapter 3 ** CHAPTER THREE  
The Ball (sort of)**

"I feel like a circus clown..." 

"You look fine, Vyse." Aika said plaintively. 

"Says you; I know how bizzare I look in this." 

"She said you look fine, Vyse..." Fina sighed. 

"And what about my hair? It was fine as it was...why did you two have to make me mess with it?" He grumbled, and ran a hand through his freshly-combed hair. "You'd think I'm a sensible, normal person." 

Fina turned to him. "I think you look very handsome, so stop complaining. You don't get dressed up so you yourself can enjoy your looks...it's so others can enjoy it." 

His face contorted into a mixture of sour annoyance and confusion. "Fina, that doesn't make a damn bit of sense. You dress up so other people can gawk at you? What, like some sort of porceline doll or something? I can understand showing off something actually impressive...but this is ludicrous." 

The Silvite opened her mouth to try to pacify him, but gave up and snapped it shut. She was wearing a dark blue gown with golden trim, and her hair was secured up on her head elegantly, with some golden-colored pearls to accent it. She herself enjoyed fixing herself up and making herself presentable, but she sometimes forgot that her companions didn't care about their apperance as much. Aika sometimes did, although she did have a tendancy to go overboard with the braids; Fina always wondered what sort of mechanics went into making your hair stay that way. 

Aika was on Vyse's left, arm linked in his, just as Fina was on Vyse's right being escorted in the same manner. For once, she caved in to fashion, and listened to Rita's advice: redheads don't wear yellow or bizzare braids. Instead, she had let her hair down, and wore a deep teal-green dress similar to Fina's, except it was fairly low-cut. Vyse had raised an eyebrow when he saw the low bodice of his best friend's outfit, but he hadn't commented. 

Vyse, however, didn't relish his makeover by the pudgy dressmaker. The most evident thing Vyse wore was a scowl, and his amber eyes seemed to burn with a mixture of malevolance and self-loathing. He was wearing a black "some sort of suit thing", as he had put it, with a red undervest and a white shirt. Then came the shiny black boots, which he constantly complained were either pinching his toes or chafing his heels. Eventually he stopped his whining and settled on pouting about the whole ordeal. 

The scarred pirate's pouty expression wasn't about to dampen the spirits of his female companions, however; they both looked around the palace grounds in awe as they slowly made their way up to the entrance, waiting to enter the building's main hall where the ball was being held. Yellow moonstone lanterns lit the wide cobblestone pathway up to the doors, and fragrant flowering trees and roses were planted in rows on either side. 

"How pretty." Fina commented, looking at the roses. "I never get tired of looking at flowers, especially roses." 

"Me too." Aika said. "I wish I could grow ones like that...but I don't have the massive amount of money Enrique does, not to mention gardeners to take care of my flowers either." 

"I hope Ilchymis is here." Vyse said, completely off-topic. "I want to find out about these rift and wind problems. The last thing I want to do is sail right into a hurricane." 

"He'll be here, Vyse. Enrique said he's one of the guests of honor." Aika stepped up with the two of them, and turned to the porter standing at the side of the door with a list. "Hi there." 

The porter glanced at them for a moment, then looked down at his list. "Names, please." 

"Aika, Vyse and Fina of the Blue Rogues of Crescent Isle." Aika wrinkled her nose and turned to murmur to Vyse. "Er....is that our official title?" 

"Something like that." he replied quietly. 

The porter looked at them closely. "Hm...I always pictured you three as being older. Not to mention gigantic with massive weapons." He cleared his throat, and announced them loudly. "Captain Vyse the Living Legend, Leader of the Blue Rogues of Crescent Isle and the Delphinus... Lady Aika, Blue Rogue of Crecent Isle and the Delphinus...and Lady Fina, Blue Rogue and Silvite of the Great Silver Shrine!" He turned to them. "Go in, please." 

"Oh, I guess those are our titles." Aika grinned quirkily. "I'll remember them." 

Fina was blushing. "Nobody's ever called me a lady before. I sort of like it." 

Vyse, however, seemed to stiffen up a bit as they walked into the hall. "Oh great, now everybody is looking at us." 

"So?" Aika smiled pleasantly to the crowds. "I like the attention." 

"I wish I was dead. But not in this outfit." he said miserably. Vyse looked at the crowds. "Why are they looking at us so much? That guy announced more people." 

"I think they're looking at you, Vyse. The guy pointed out you're a legend." Aika snagged an hors de'oeuvre from a passing tray and popped it into her mouth. "Ooo, fancy cheese." 

"Well, since you seem intent on eating, why don't we split up? I want to find Ilchymis....you can eat all you want and Fina...can uh...do what she wants." He turned to Fina, who was still holding onto his arm. "Well, what do you want to do?" 

"Um, talk to Gilder." she pointed at the tall man who was making his way through the crowd towards them. The tall pirate was wearing red as usual, but had a white overcoat with a gold trim on it. He had a wineglass half-full of some pale wine or another, and he balanced it nonchalantly on his gloved fingers as he walked over. 

"My my, look at what we have here." His grin was pleasant, yet had all sorts of hidden jibes behind it. 

"Shut up Gilder...I don't want to hear it." Vyse obviously was still sullen. 

"Now now, cheer up Vyse; Look at it this way: it'll be something you'll always remember. Besides, you look better when you're not dressed like somebody who ties down the hawsers and shortens sails." He bowed to Fina. "My dear, you look absolutely raveshing...a pale dove in the middle of a group of rough crows." He smirked and bowed to Aika as well. "You too, Aika. You're a pretty little rose, even if you do have your thorns." 

"Fina, get Vyse some paper; I think he should be taking notes." 

Fina giggled. "It would be nice to hear some compliments like that now and again." 

"Tsk, Vyse Vyse Vyse...you mean you don't flatter your lady friends? Why in the world are they still with you?" He took a sip of his wine, peering at the blue rogue with mischief twinkling in his eyes. 

"Because I'm honest to them." Vyse said blandly. "And I don't try to get into their pants, unlike a certain somebody I know." 

Gilder laughed, partially coughing on his wine. "Touche....still as smart as ever. Although I don't know what a couple of rascals like us are doing in a place like this, Vyse." 

Vyse crossed his arms and smirked. "I'm here by sheer accident....but I have a feeling you're here to hide from Clara." 

"That, and Enrique invited me." His face went bland. "I should warn you, Vyse....you have your own pep squad running around out there." 

Aika took a step closer. "Oooo, do tell...." 

Gilder shrugged. "I ran across them a few days north of Sailor's Isle. At first I didn't think anything of them, but they pulled alongside my ship to speak to me. It was Nara." 

"Nara? One of my gunners? Well...ex-gunner..." 

"She was there." Gilder continued. "She had Belle with her, and she was looking for you. She said something about wanting to follow in Clara's footsteps and find her one true love." 

All color drained from Vyse's scarred face. "She sa...said what?" 

"She said she was looking for her one true love, which I assume, is you." He clapped the younger man on the shoulder. "My deepest empathy goes out to you, my friend. I know how being hunted can be." 

"That's...disturbing." He turned to glare at Aika. "Grr, will you stop laughing at me!" 

She sniggered, putting her hand over her mouth in an act of mock-politeness. "Sorry, Romeo...would you prefer I get all jealous?" 

He growled something indecent at her, which caused Fina to gasp. 

"Now Vyse...be nice. We're at a fancy ball, after all...we have to keep up apperances. Some more than others." She patted his cheek, and wandered over to the buffet table. 

Vyse watched her walk over with venom in his gaze, then snorted in an annoyed fashion. "Do you see what I have to put up with, Gilder? It's been over ten years of that, all the time." 

"She's just teasing you, Vyse....you shouldn't be so mean to her." Fina seemed a bit angry. "You didn't have to call her that horrible thing." 

"Yeah well, I'm in a crummy mood, and Aika doesn't have to make it worse. She should know better by now." 

"You should know better, Vyse!" Fina's voice rose an octave. "Sometimes you're just so horribly blind! I don't know why I even bother staying...." She turned on her heel and strode off into the crowds. 

Gilder gave a low whistle. "Amazing...I never thought you'd be so skilled at putting your foot in your mouth." 

"...." said Vyse. 

"C'mon...let's wander over to the bar and get a drink." He clapped Vyse on the back and led him in the general direction of the bar. 

"...yeah, I think I need one." Vyse said morosely, letting Gilder lead him over. 

Aika was excitedly trying all the various kinds of appetizers at the buffet table. There wasn't any real semblance of a line; you just went up and took whatever you wanted to munch on. The female pirate was somewhat daintily sampling a small amount of what would lie in a pot or upon a platter; if she found she liked it, she would put more on her small plate. If she didn't, she'd make a disgusted face with the note not to eat whatever it was again. 

"Delicious, aren't they?" a deep, accented voice said to her left. 

Aika, in the act of popping a deep sky shrimp into her mouth, turned to glance at whom was speaking. A pale-skinned young man, maybe a year or so older than herself, stood there. His long hair was a dark color, but it wasn't exactly black; it seemed to shine blueish purple in the light from the chandeliers. He had it pulled back into an urbane ponytail, except for a few stray hairs. He was dressed formally in silver, black and blue, although the style of his outfit seemed somewhat alien to Aika. However, the thing she noticed the most was the fact that his eyes were as red as blood. The young man was placing a few shrimp on his plate, while glancing over at her with a pleasant expression. 

"Yes, I like them a lot. I've stopped back to this tray three times already, despite myself." She smiled back to the man, equally pleasant. 

"I've always liked deep sky seafood." The man said in a strangely accented voice. Aika couldn't exactly place the accent, or the way the man was dressed. "Then again, those meatballs I see on your plate are equally as good." 

A bizzare suspicion started to rise in Aika's mind. She had heard old legends of pale young nobles from northern Valua; nobles with funny accents that liked to drink other people's blood and sleep in coffins. If anything, this guy definately looked like a vampire. "Are they? I haven't tried them yet." She decided to keep up with the small talk, at least until she could figure out whether this man was human or not. 

"They are." He glanced around the crowds. "Tell me...where is your Silvite friend? I saw her come in with you when you were announced." 

Aika waved her hand generally. "Eh, she's around. I'm sure she went to talk to Moegi or something. She and Moegi have always gotten along." 

The young man smiled a handsome smile, a smile that lacked fangs much to Aika's disappointment. "Ah, thank you very much Lady Aika. Perhaps I will see you later." He bowed, and left the buffet table. Aika frowned, and looked at the shrimp on her plate. What was that just now? Something about that vampire guy was....funny, and Aika didn't like it. And now he was out looking for Fina. Aika then came to a realization that Fina was trying her best to fend for herself, both physically and emotionally. If that vampire wanted to bother her, Fina could take care of herself. Aika happily started eating her shrimp, humming a little tune that was contrary to the small orchestra playing in the background. 

Fina was talking to the Empress when Vyse decided to try talking to her about an hour later. Moegi was standing with Marco, who was dressed fairly neatly. Marco was measuring something with his hands, but then stopped when he saw Vyse approach. 

"Cap'n Vyse! Hey Vyse!" he waved his arms excitedly. 

Vyse came over, holding two full wineglasses. "Well, look at what we have here. Hello, Marco...haven't seen you in a while." 

"That's because Moegi and Enrique took me to live with them." 

"So I heard." He smirked. "You look like you've changed, living in all this luxury." 

Marco laughed. "Naw...not that much. I have to go to school almost every day, and it's really hard sometimes." 

"School? Wow, you're lucky....I never got to go to school." He took a sip from one of the glasses he held. 

"Yeah, I really like it. There's all these boys there my age, and we learn about all sorts of interesting stuff. And when I'm old enough, I'm going to attend the academy, so I can be a sailor in the armada. Enrique says I have what it takes." He seemed fairly proud of this fact. 

Vyse smiled. "I'm glad you're happy, Marco. You always diserved a good family, and a good education. Keep it up, and we might run into each other in the skies someday....as friends, of course." 

Moegi looked down at the boy. "Run and find Enrique, Marco....tell him that I think we'll be ready to eat within an hour." 

Marco saluted, and then ran off into the crowd. Vyse laughed as he watched him dart off. 

"That kid's one in a million. And to think, we found him picking his nose on a street corner." He handed one of the glasses of wine to Fina. "Here, I thought you might like a glass." 

Fina looked at the glass, hesitated and took it from him. "But, I don't drink. You know that." She still seemed a bit irritated with him. 

"It's a party, Fina. Everybody drinks at parties. One glass won't hurt you." 

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh? And how many have you had?" 

"This is my third. Don't even assume I'm drunk, Fina. You know me better than that." 

The Silvite looked away from him crossly. "Sometimes I think I know you." 

Moegi sighed. "Oh please, don't fight you two. Fina....you can't stay angry at him the whole night. That little spat was between him and Aika." 

"Moegi, he called her a....thing I won't repeat." She took a big swallow of her wine, and tried not to make a face at the bitter flavor. 

"I've been calling her things like that since she was six, and she's been beating me up since I was seven. I'm telling you, Fina....me and Aika have been doing that all the time. Sometimes we don't do it in front of you, out of respect....but we still have this thing where we..." 

"Flirt?" Moegi supplied. 

He made a wry face. "I wouldn't exactly call it that...but it's similar. We're best friends, we pick on each other. It's part of the goofball relationship we have. So don't be angry at me for saying something to Aika....you may of noticed she didn't even bat an eyelash when I swore at her. She probably forgot about it already." 

Fina sighed, and looked at her wine. "I suppose you're right. Sorry Vyse....I tend to get defensive of my friends at times." 

"It's all right....I don't blame you for getting angry at me when you do. I know you always have a good reason for it." 

Moegi put her hands to her cheeks and smiled happily. "You two are so cute...you know that? This is better than going to the theatre." 

Vyse shook his head, smiling slightly. "Don't assume things when you don't know the facts, Moegi. We're not getting mushy or anything." 

Fina giggled. "Vyse doesn't "get mushy" anyway." 

At that point, Aika wandered over, with an annoyed expression on her face. "Vyysse...." she whined. "...these stupid guys keep looking down my bodice..." 

He drained the rest of the wine in his glass. "Then you shouldn't have worn something so low-cut. Don't expect me to save you, Aika. If you wanted to dress for attention, that's what you've achieved." 

She grabbed onto his arm. "But that's not what I wanted! I just liked the design Rita made...I didn't realize that it would uh..." 

"Let me see a lot more of you than you'd prefer from here?" he said, raising an eyebrow and openly peering down her cleavage. 

Aika frowned, and then turned to pull him out into the center of the hall, where couples were dancing. "C'mon. We're dancing." 

"...gahhh?" 

"You heard me. It's an effective way of getting those guys to leave me alone." 

He shook his arm to free it from her grasp. "No way.....you fend for yourself, Aika." He then turned and started walking back towards Moegi and Fina. Unfortunately, he only managed to take four steps or so before Aika snagged him by the hand. 

"Please Vyse...just this once have some fun." she wheedled. "Just save my butt and dance with me." 

"I don't dance." he said gruffly. 

"Oh, please...I'm not buying that. You fight gracefully, I've seen you walk along ropes and railings like it was nothing....and you move like a cat normally anyway. Trust me Vyse, you CAN dance." She pulled him to the dance floor again. 

Vyse opened his mouth to retort as he was dragged along, but sighed and decided better of it. "Fine, whatever Aika." 

The dance began, a somewhat old yet well-known type of dance of moderate speed, one that even a protesting blue rogue such as Vyse could execute. Aika smiled at him sweetly the whole time, knowing that once again, this was a privite little battle between then and once again, she had won. Vyse put on a strained pleasant expression likewise. Two could play at this game. 

"Aika..." he said while looking and sounding for all the world like a pleasant individual. "...I'm going to kill you later." 

She side-stepped around him, their backs to each other, still wearing her sweet smile. "No you're not, Vyse. You'll keep dancing with me, and fool everybody into thinking we're a cute couple." 

The next few steps of the dance came up, and he turned to take her hand as he was supposed to...although he grabbed onto it a bit too tightly. "I told you, I'm not going to play your knight in shining armor, Aika. You can very well take care of yourself, right?" 

She winced momentarily at the grip he had on her hand. "No, I can't. C'mon, you know how I am. Can't you do me this favor? Or at least stand with me and Fina the whole night? I don't feel like shooing away annoying old men that think I'm pretty." 

He sighed in defeat, intertwining the fingers of his right hand with the fingers of hers, and the two of them mirroring each other's steps. "But you are pretty, Aika. Why can't you accept their attentions and be flattered? It's not like you have to let them have you or anything." 

She looked over at him. "What?" 

"I said to just be flattered at their comments and passes, and--" 

"No, you said I was pretty." She wrapped her fingers of her left hand around his, repeating the same steps as before, but looking straight at him, as opposed to looking forward like the dance intended. "Wow, a compliment from you. Today's a big day." 

Vyse frowned. "Please stop making things worse for me today...all I wanted was to talk to Ilchymis...not play the protective knight for you, or dance, or dress up in....this garbage. If it wasn't for you prodding at me the whole time, I wouldn't have even come here. I swear Aika...I don't know why you have to draw me into everything you do." The dance drew to a close, and the two of them stood close together, his hand on her waist, her arm on his shoulder. The music slowed. 

Aika looked him in the eye. "You don't even know? I thought you were brighter than that, Vyse." 

"I'm not stupid, but sometimes I need little hints. Come on Aika....I don't hide things from you, and I don't try to drag you along, you always do things of your own accord. Why can't I do things out of my own will when it deals with you?" 

She locked eyes with him, expression unreadable. "Well...uh..." Suddenly she found it very hard to think straight, mostly because his face was a few inches from her own. 

"Just let me do what I want...unless you give me a good reason not to. Besides, you're always following me around. What makes you think I wouldn't do the same?" There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a few seconds. Then Aika opened her mouth. 

"...I...um. Vyse..?" 

He half-closed his eyes and raised his eyebrows in an expression of goading. "Yes? Speak up." 

Aika stopped dancing and took a step away from him, one hand on her chest. She seemed to be breathing quickly. "I...think I need some air." she muttered quietly. "Excuse me." With that, she turned and fled from the dance floor, leaving him standing there stupidly. He stood and stared at the spot she stood at thoughtfully for a few moments, then turned and walked off to the side with a sigh. 

* * * 

Fina was watching the little exchange between Aika and Vyse on the dance floor with interest. Moegi watched as well, giving little comments about how well they danced, yet not exactly seeing what was going on. However, Fina could see, and she could read her friends' body language very well. 

"Why did they stop?" Moegi asked. "They're such good dancers...I was sort of enjoying watching them." 

"Discomfort." Fina answered shortly. 

"What do you mean?" the Empress asked. 

"Watch." Fina nodded towards the two pirates. Aika took a step away from Vyse, put a hand to her chest, and then ran out towards the massive windows along the back wall. 

Moegi's brow furrowed. "That's strange. You'd think she didn't feel well." 

"That's one way of putting it, Moegi." the Silvite answered mildly. "It seems that when either of us is around Vyse, we don't "feel well"." 

The Yafutoman Empress turned to look at Fina quizzically. "Aika too? I thought only you were...?" she left it hanging. 

Fina shook her head. "No, both of us....much to our chagrin." 

"Does Vyse know?" 

"Of course not. If he does know, he hides it pretty well. And we don't try to let it get in the way of our friendship, me and Aika. Right now, things are somewhat messy at times...but the three of us are happy." She scanned the crowds to find where Aika ran off to, but only seemed to find unfamiliar faces. Then, her eyes stopped on a young man who was looking directly at her. His hair was a purplish-black color, tied back in a ponytail, and his skin was very pale. His clothing, while definately formal, seemed a bit bizzare. "Who's that?" 

"Who's whom?" Moegi started to scan the crowds. 

"Don't you see him?" Fina asked, darting her eyes to Moegi, and then back to where the young man was. He was gone. "...he was just there...how funny." 

"Describe him?" 

"He was tall and had this longish dark hair, it seemed to shine almost....purple in the light. His skin was really pale too, even lighter than mine. And his clothing seemed a bit strange, too. He wore mostly black, but I've been all over the world and I've never seen clothing like that." 

"Dark hair, but pale skin? I didn't invite anybody like that, Fina. I would know, I hand-picked all three-hundred of the guests. Most the the people here are from Valua, aside from a few Nasrians, Ixa'takans and Yafutomans...none of those races have dark hair and pale skin." 

Fina sighed. "I must have been seeing things, then. Excuse me, I think I'll look for Aika." 

The Silvite found her blue rogue friend leaning against the stone railing of the massive balcony outside the windows, fanning at her face. Fina came to stand beside her, and put her hands gently on the railing. "So here you are." 

"Yeah." It was a tone of voice Aika didn't use often. 

"You look a bit red in the face, Aika...are you all right?" Fina peered at her, concerned. 

"Yeah, I'm fine...I didn't realize that dancing would wear me out, that's all. Besides, it's hot in this dress. I miss my poor girl clothing." She gave a wan smile. 

"Oh, all right then." Fina turned to wave a hand almost expansively at the crowds. "There's somebody strange in that party, Aika. I saw him, but Moegi couldn't. Not only that, but I got a funny feeling when I saw him too." 

"Really? What did he look like?" 

"Hm, well...he was fairly tall, I'd say about Gilder's height. He had this dark hair that seemed sort of...purple when the light shone on it. His skin was really pale too." 

"Red eyes? Funny black and blue clothing? Hair in a ponytail?" 

Fina turned back to look at her. "Why, yes. Do you know him?" 

Aika crossed her arms, looking at the people dancing. "I saw him before when I was snagging appetizers at the buffet table. He talked to me a bit, just small talk...but there was something weird about his accent that I couldn't place. And even weirder, he was looking for you." 

"Me? Why me?" 

"Maybe because he's a vampire? That's what I think. I've heard all sorts of stories about things like that, and they've all been about handsome young men in funny clothing, somewhere in Valua." 

The Silvite laughed. "A vampire? Oh please...there's no such thing. That's just silly." 

Aika grabbed onto her friend's shoulder in concern. "But what if it's true? What if he bites your neck and then YOU become a vampire? Then we can only feed you blood and you'll have to turn into a bat, and I don't like bats." 

Fina laughed again. "You're so amusing at times, Aika. I'll tell you what: I'll look for Vyse to tell him about our "vampire". I'll see what he thinks about it." 

"Yeah, okay...good plan. I'll go roam the crowds and see if I can find Vampy myself. Just give me a few more minutes to cool off." 

* * * 

Vyse was speaking with Enrique, Ilchymis, King Ixa'taka and Isapa the priest when Fina found him. The five of them stood in one of the alcoves in the wall, near the far end of the hall. 

"Domingo says that the whole ruin was just....swallowed up by the East-Nasr Rift." Vyse was saying. "He even drew up a map as best he could of how far the rift extended." he turned to glance at Fina, who had just joined them, and then at Ilchymis again. "Fina saw it too...it was strange." 

Fina nodded. "He's right...according to the map Domingo made, the rift has gotten huge. It seems to be effecting the weather around the rift, too. We couldn't sail here through the North Dannel Strait like we normally would, because there were some very nasty storms. We had to sail over the Valuan mainland instead." 

"We've been having storms too...great tornadoes have spanned out from South Ocean into our territory." King Ixa'taka said. "Some days, it's too rough for our ships to go out, and we've been having problems with the garpa harvest. Not only that, but something is unsettling about the winds...it disrupts the soul, sets one at unease." 

"My king speaks truly." Isapa added. "I've sensed horrible things from these winds...a sense of darkness, almost. I wouldn't call it evil, however....I would call it...the opposite of the feeling one gets from normal winds. It's somewhat hard to explain...maybe it was because of Soltis. While things in the world have pretty much shifted back to the way they were before Soltis, a few things are still different." 

Enrique touched his chin thoughtfully. "Hm, we here at Valua have had more wind storms lately, but we thought it was an aftereffect of the Rains of Destruction a few months ago...or even an aftereffect of Soltis rising, and then falling back into Deep Sky. How very strange...perhaps all these things are connected. The way of the world may be still shifting because of Soltis." He turned to Ilchymis. "What do you think, Ilchymis?" 

The scientist adjusted his glasses. "Well, I do have a theory, but it's just a theory. I wouldn't make any major assumptions at this time...not until we have more evidence from more regions of the world." 

A servant came over and bowed to Enrique. "Your Highness, the head cook has informed me that dinner is served." 

"Excellent. Thank you." The Emperor turned to the rest of them. "Well, I suppose we can take our seats now. We can finish this discussion later." He turned and walked away with the Ixa'takans. Vyse was about to turn and leave with Fina, but Ilchymis cleared his throat. 

"Wait a moment, Vyse." 

Vyse watched Fina continue to their table, then looked back at the scientist. "Yeah?" 

"I would like to talk to you about this rift/storm problem later on. I would like to share my theory with you...but I didn't want to speak up in front of the Ixa'takans. They're a very supersticious lot, and I wouldn't want to startle them." 

"Oh, that's understandable. You can find us at the guest house Enrique provided us with for our stay here. Uh, ask him where it is exactly, I'm not overly familiar with the area." 

The scientist nodded with a smile. "Very well. Until then." He turned to walk to his table. 

Fina walked to their table, which was somewhat near the head table, with a thoughtful expression on her face. Apparently, this strange storm problem had been happening in more places than they thought. She decided she would definately like to hear Ilchymis' theory, even if it was only a theory. 

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't exactly watch where she was going and wound up bumping into somebody. "Oh, excuse me..." she said apologetically, looking up at the man. "I didn't see you there." 

The young man smiled a handsome smile that was framed by a few strands of purple-black hair that weren't pulled back into a ponytail. "It's quite all right." It was the young man from before, and on closer inspection Fina could see that he did in fact have red eyes like Aika said. She felt somewhat strange looking at the man in the eyes, although she couldn't exactly put her finger on why. Fina felt as if she couldn't move, and her mind seemed to reel with strange images: a large dragon, a fierce storm, something shining darkly in the night sky... 

"Fina?" It was Vyse's voice. "Vyse to Fina...hello?" 

The Silvite blinked suddenly, and found that she wasn't staring into a pair of red eyes, but into a familiar pair of brownish-amber ones. "Vyse? What happened to..." She shook her head. "Ugh..." 

"You all right? You were standing here, staring into space for a few minutes." 

"Yes, I'm fine...I think I just need to eat something, that's all." She brushed past him, and took her seat at their designated table. 

Vyse frowned thoughtfully. While Fina may not mention it now, he knew for a fact something strange was up. First the strange rift behavior, then the storms in Ixa'taka and Valua, then the strange man Aika saw roaming around the party, and now Fina standing here staring into space. Without knowing how exactly, Vyse felt that somehow, these strange things were related...and they wouldn't be able to find out until later, when Ilchymis spoke to them. 


	5. Chapter 4 -- Ilchymis' Theory

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 4 ** CHAPTER FOUR  
Ilchymis' Theory**

Vyse flopped onto the couch with an audible grunt. "Well, that wasn't all bad. At least we got a good meal out of it, and I did manage to find Ilchymis." He took his coat off and his undervest as well. "I didn't know dancing was going to be part of the equation, though." He shot a look at Aika. 

Aika had taken a seat on a nearby chair, and was massaging her feet. She wasn't exactly used to dress shoes. "It worked though...after that performance we put on out there tonight, everybody was leaving me alone." 

"Not me." he grumbled, unbuttoning the first few top buttons of his shirt. "After that, all sorts of women were trying to get me to dance, or to talk to them, or anything. It really got on my nerves after a while." 

"Maybe you should of been flattered by their attentions, Vyse." Aika batted her lashes at him with a smirk. 

He threw his coat at her, grinning. "Shaddap. I don't see what the big appeal is though...why were they all pouncing on me? I'm so...ordinary." 

Fina took a seat next to him on the couch. "Vyse, you're far from ordinary. Look at it from a young woman's point of view, if you will. You're single, very attractive, world-renowned, funny, a captain of two ships, the leader of an island, and a living legend. What would you expect them to do?" 

He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Keep their distance? You'd think that having two women as my friends and companions would drive them away." 

Fina stretched out, putting her legs over his lap and leaning with her back against the arm of the sofa. Her behavior was a bit lucid after consuming a bit more wine than was good for her at the party. "You would think that, but tonight you learned otherwise. And then there's that group of girls sailing the world looking for you..." 

Vyse shook his head. "I don't want to hear about that...it's been a long night, and I really don't need more things pressing down on my shoulders." He stretched his arms and yawned, and was about to say something else when there was the sound of a door being opened. 

"Hey!" Aika retorted when Enrique, Gilder and Ilchymis entered the room from the hall. "Don't you people knock? We could of been naked in here!" She was grinning, however. 

"I'd pay to see that." Gilder commented slyly. Aika growled and threw Vyse's coat at him. 

"That's the best use I've seen for that coat so far tonight." Vyse murmured. 

"I'm glad to see the three of you are comfortable here." Enrique said, sitting down in one of the many chairs. "And I brought you somebody, as well." He indicated Ilchymis, who was reaching into his inner coat pocket for something. 

"Mmm." Ilchymis said absently, still fishing for whatever it was. 

"Good to see you here, Ilchymis...I really want to hear your theory." Fina indicated the chair next to the sofa she and Vyse were seated on. "Please, sit down." 

The scientist stopped looking for something in his pocket, and blinked. "Huh..oh? Sorry...yes..I'll get started." He took a seat in the preoffered chair. "First off, let's lay the facts down on the table, shall we? Look at what evidence we have." 

"Well, all right." Vyse leaned his head back thoughtfully. "First off, Domingo comes home mentioning that the rifts of the world have been growing. Centime backed up this fact when he came to visit Crescent Isle last week, and he also did mention that South Ocean is completely impassable, even for strong ships. Then earlier tonight, King Ixa'taka mentioned that the twisters from South Ocean have expanded, and have creeped into his lands. And Enrique mentioned that it's been fairly windy in Valua lately too...which isn't too strange, if you account for the thunderstorms." 

"Still, there have been wind storms, sometimes random tornadoes all over the continent." Enrique said. "It's been hindering the progress of Larimar and Verados." 

"Larimar and Verados?" Vyse glanced at Enrique with a questioning look. 

"Yes, didn't I tell you? Sorry if I didn't. They're two spots in northern Valua that were military outposts. I don't feel the need to keep them as cold, unwelcome places...so I've sent crews up there to convert them into towns. Many Lower City citizens were esctatic, and went there straight away. But we're getting off onto a tangent here..." 

"Yeah, I'll continue." The scarred blue rogue folded his arms, resting them on Fina's legs, which were still across his lap. "So there were also those nasty storms in Valua. The one thing that might be related is somebody Aika and Fina saw at the party tonight. Aika keeps saying he looks like a vampire, but I'm a little unsure of that." 

"He had good looks, a funny accent and pale skin...not to mention red eyes. What was he supposed to be then, Vyse?" Aika looked at Fina. "Fina saw him too." 

"I ran into him, actually." Fina said. "That's why you found me staring into space, Vyse. I was talking to him, and suddenly...I don't know. My mind went all funny, and before I knew it I was looking up at you, not at him. He was a very strange man...but I don't think he's connected to the weather problems." 

"Hmm..." Ilchymis mused. "I did see a man like that at the party....although I didn't approach him. Let me get back to the subject at hand: we have weather conditions going strange all over the world. They all seem to be tied in to the major rifts, if you think about it. Rifts affect the weather of the regions they're found in. What I believe is causing the rifts to behave the strange way they are deals with gravity, and it isn't gravity caused by Arcadia itself, or any of the six moons, or even the strange behavior of the winds caused by Soltis rising and then sinking once more. As far as Soltis is concerned, Arcadia has returned to the way it was more or less, nearly down to the last air current. No, my friends, I believe this is caused by something of legend. I believe there's a seventh black moon, and it's creating these strange weather patterns." 

They all looked at him, somewhat unsure of this theory. Then Vyse spoke up. "Well, we did find those black moonstones in the Dark Rift....but we all figured they were blue or red ones altered by the storm. I didn't think there'd be a seventh moon because well...nobody's seen it." 

"Perhaps nobody has seen it because it isn't visable to us. There have been records of the weather and the rifts of the world gone awry every several centuries. I think this moon has an elliptical orbit, and does not have an orbit that's in sync with Arcadia's rotation like the other six moons. It may be too far away to be seen, or perhaps hidden behind another moon." The scientist stood, and started pacing. "It's just a theory, however....but it's one that I've had since I went to the acadamy." 

"In that case, wouldn't it be logical to say that if there was a seventh moon, then there would be a civilization under it?" Enrique looked up at Ilchymis. 

"That's why it intrigues me, your Highness. I've always wondered at that possibility, although I'm no archeologist. However, I know somebody who is, who also shares my theory. Actually, she may know more about it than I do: she's the one who approached me with it years ago. She's a woman by the name of Lani, and she's normally a travelling professor who teaches at various universities around the world." 

"Where is she now?" Aika asked. 

"The last time I spoke with her, she was heading to the ruins of Glacia, since you three helpfully pinpointed their location several months back." 

Aika looked crestfallen. "Oh great...the Belleza can't cut through the ice with its wooden hull....are we gonna have to go all the way back to Crescent Isle in order to get the Delphinus?" 

"Don't worry about it, Aika." Fina looked over at her. "We equipped the Belleza with a Yafutoman-style engine recently. It can go low enough to access Glacia from below the ice flows." 

Vyse looked at them all. "So it's settled? We head to Glacia to talk to Lani about this black moon mystery. I say we leave tomorrow morning." 

"I think this is where I say "I'm going too."" Gilder interjected. "Things have been getting sort of slow for me, and I know that exciting things have a way of finding you guys. 

"Of course you can come." Aika smiled. "You're always welcome to sail with us." 

The Emperor stood and bowed in that polite manner of his. "Well then, I'll take my leave of you. You'll need to rest up, since it's been a long night. Farewell." He headed to the door, and left without another word. Gilder also stood, shot a grin and a wink at them, and turned to leave. 

"I'll be back tomorrow. Don't leave without me." He then exited out the front door. 

Ilchymis also stood up to leave, but began fishing in his coat pocket again. "Oh...where did I put it...I have something important for you, Vyse." He checked the left side of his coat instead. "Ah, there it is....funny, I never keep anything on my left side..." The scientist produced a folded piece of paper, and handed it to Vyse. "This is from Drachma. I myself cared for him when he was here recently. I only wish I could have done more for him, he was a good man." He sighed. "Anyway, he wrote that a day before he passed on, and asked that I deliver it to you if I ever saw you. Now I'm pleased that I could have fulfilled this wish for him." Ilchymis turned and left quietly, leaving the blue rogue sitting there with the letter in his hand. 

Aika came around the back side of the couch to look over Vyse's shoulder. "What does it say?" 

"We'll have to see." He unfolded the letter, and glanced and the handwriting. "It's all shaky and uneven, probably from the effects of his stroke." The letter began: 

_Boy, _

I don't know when you'll be reading this, but I hope it comes across you some day. The doctor says I don't have much time left, and that really dampens my spirits. There's still a lot of things I wanted to do and see in my life, and I never was able to do them. They're just small things to another man, but to me they're important. Still, I did get to see much of the world and experience some things I never thought I'd see when I was young like you. I know that I'll be joining my son soon, and that sets my mind to peace a bit. 

I must say that the time I spent with you three kids has been one of the best times of my life, and I don't regret one moment of it. The three of you replaced that gaping hole I had in my life when I lost Jack, my ship and my crew, and I'm very grateful. There is still one more thing you can do for me, though. I know how you like to explore new things, find the strange and unexplainable. If this is still true, then I have a small tale to tell you. 

When I was a young man, perhaps a few years older than you, I was sailing in the southestern section of the South Nasr Ocean, not very far north of Esparanza and the Cape Victory Cliffs. While fishing in that area, I saw something strange flying below the clouds, in the area where the air pressure is a bit too much for normal ships. Most animals don't live down there, so I found it strange. I brought my ship a bit closer for a better look. The "things" weren't fish or birds, but were almost man-shaped, and they had large wings. I couldn't see many details on them, but I remember that they were black with some white on them. You may think I'm crazy, but I'd say they reminded me of gargoyles or dragons...or some other made-up monster. But I know I saw them, I vividly remember this even to this day, which means I will vividly remember it until my death. 

This is my wish, boy: go out and find what these things are. For all we know, we're missing out on yet another race other than humans, or some nightmare come alive. No matter what it is, I have faith in you and your friends. I know you can find out what it is, and what it's doing here. It's something I always wanted to do, but never managed to fulfill. But you're different, and I know this small clue will lead you on to something enormous. 

It's been an honor knowing you, Captain Vyse. I wish you luck, and I hope we meet again in the next life. Goodbye. 

--Drachma 

Vyse quietly handed the letter to Fina to read, and stared ahead morosely. Aika hung her head. "Poor Drachma....he knew he didn't have any time left." She leaned forward on the couch to crane her head around so she could look Vyse in the face. "Vyse?" 

"I'm going to fulfill his wish, Aika. It's the least I can do for him. I hope we find whatever it was he saw." His voice was quiet, his eyes distant. 

Aika slipped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a quick hug. "Yeah, me too. I know we'll do it." She turned to glance at Fina, who was sniffling after finishing the letter. "Are you going to be okay, Fina?" 

The Silvite wiped at her eyes. "Yes...I'll be fine. It's just so sad..." she closed her eyes and sighed. "Perhaps we should go to bed...we'll be busy tomorrow." She stood. 

"Yeah, you're right." Vyse glanced over his shoulder at Aika, and then at Fina. "First we find Lani and investigate this black moon mystery. As soon as we're done with that, we try to find out what Drachma was talking about. But for now, I think we all need sleep. Tonight's been a little too gloomy for my taste anyway." 

* * * 

The next morning, they met up with Gilder at the port where the Belleza was moored. Moegi was there to bid them farewell. 

"Enrique says he wanted to be here, but he's very busy this morning." She said to them in an almost apologetic tone. "He wishes you luck, and we both want you to stop by again when you have the chance. Ilchymis also wanted me to tell you to bring back any information you find. He was very adamant about that." 

"You can count on it." Vyse said with a lopsided grin. "Thanks for your hospitality, Moegi." He turned to Gilder. "Ready?" 

"Whenever you are." Gilder replied. 

They bid farewell to the Empress, and pulled out of the port to exit through the gaping trench that was once the Grand Fortress. The breeze was brisk as usual, but it didn't effect a ship of the Belleza's size. Her captain pointed her to the southeast, and cruised along at a semi-high altitude within mid-sky. 

"I think I'll take us around the reefs and through a few rifts." he said while en route. "I've heard the rifts are a bit thick, but I'd rather go through them than over the massive rift that's along the one side of the Lands of Ice. I don't want to try going through the reef either; our hull isn't made for that, and I hate dodging rocks." 

"You're the captain, Vyse". Aika said from her post. 

They passed around the Nasr Reef and through a small rift with little difficulty. However, once they reached the eastern edge of South Ocean, things started to get bumpy. It was several hours past sunset and fairly dark when they had reached that particular section of South Ocean, and nobody could see the storms until they were practically on top of them. While the Belleza wasn't a tiny ship, she was tossed to and fro in the harsh winds. Vyse strained to keep a hold on the wheel during the whole ordeal. 

"It's like being on the Little Jack again..." he grunted, fighting against the pull of the tiller. "If this goes on any longer, my arms are going to snap off." 

"I don't think going through this area at night is smart." Gilder said, looking out the windows of the deckhouse. "Maybe we should drop anchor somewhere to the east of all of this, and try again in the morning." 

"I'll have to agree...I didn't think that this area would be this rough. We're not too far west of Maramba, and South Ocean doesn't extend this far." Vyse pulled on the wheel, using his weight, and the ship gave a lurch and turned to the east. 

They dropped anchor not too far away from Maramba, and although they cleared the storm after a league or so, it was still fairly windy. Sand had been picked up from the land below by the winds, and gouts of it lashed against the ship's hull harshly. Vyse lay in his bunk and winced at every loud scraping sound that resulted of the sandstorm, and hoped the deck and masts weren't scoured to shreds. They slept with all the hatches shut, and the windows closed. 

The next morning, it was calmer, and upon inspection the Belleza's damage from the sandstorm was minimal. A few sails were ripped, a few spots on the hull were scratched, but nothing was serious enough to hinder their progress. They countinued to the southeast, this time taking care to avoid any maelstroms from the ever-growing South Ocean. When they reached the small rift that seperated South Ocean and the Lands of Ice, they stopped. 

"I can't see through that thing..." Aika said, frowning. 

"I can't either, and I'm zooming in." Vyse sighed. "Well, we go through no matter what. It can't be that thick." 

That proved to be an understatement. They went through in near-complete darkness, the deck lights and lanterns in the deckhouse giving the only light. After four miles, they began to get restless. 

""It can't be that thick." he says." Aika snorted. "How do you know we're not going lengthwise through the rift instead of straight across like we're supposed to?" 

"We're heading straight south." The scarred captain said a bit tartly. "Don't whine about it, we'll be through in another few minutes." 

His prediction was accurate, however; they slipped into the open and into the twilight glow of the polar sky. The Purple moon hovered coldly in the night, shining down upon the small glaciers and ice flows with a lavander hue. 

"It's night here." Fina said. "Not surprising....that's the way the poles are. During certain seasons, the suns never sets at one; at the other, however, it's always dark. I guess it's dark here this time of year....just like it was always light the last time we came here." 

"A place where it's always night, or always day. Weird." Gilder was leaning against guardrail of the stairs that went to midships. "So are we gonna dock?" 

In response, Vyse lowered their altitude, and brought the vessel along the underside of the massive glacier. From this side, it was somewhat easy to tell what sections were land, and what sections were ice. Glacia was frozen in the middle of a massive patch of ice, and thus frozen in time. As they carefully raised altitude into the middle of the city, it seemed no different and just as eerie as it was the first time they came to Glacia. The only difference was the amount of light; this time, Glacia was lit up by the Purple moon's light refracted through the ice, instead of the sun refracted the same way. The effect caused everything to be bathed in a ghostly blue-purple glow, and the various buildings and alcoves cast strange red-orange shadows. No hawsers to moor her to, they four of them had to use the anchor to tie down the Belleza. 

"I'm pleased that we came prepared this time." Aika pulled the hood of her fur coat up over her head, strange pigtails gone for the time-being. The rest of them also wore similar winter gear. "Last time we were here I almost froze my butt off." 

"So where do you think we'll find this Lani person?" Fina asked, her breath steaming in the frozen air. 

"Maybe we should split up." Gilder suggested. 

"No way." Vyse shook his head. "It's darker than the last time we were here, not to mention it's still as cold as ever. I don't want anybody getting lost when it's this cold." He adjusted his skyseer patch and scanned the buildings of the ancient city. "I'm not seeing anything...wait. There's a light on in a building over there....I'd say about a mile away or so." 

"I can sort of see it too...through the fog." The Silvite squinted, and nodded. "You're right, that's definately not a natural light. Lani must be there." 

He adjusted his patch to see normally, and nodded. "Then let's head over there, before we all freeze." 

That was easier said than done. The walkways were slick with ice, and sometimes hard to see because of the lack of light. At one point, Fina would of walked off the edge into nothingness if Vyse hadn't grabbed her and pulled her back. Gilder paused for a moment to produce a somewhat smallish lantern, and lit it. The light was somewhat meager, but enough to light their way, and they continued on without much hinderence. 

It was a good two hours later when they reached the building with the light in the window, and all of them were feeling the effects of the cold. 

"I'd say this weather is invigorating, but all it seems to do is tire you out." Gilder grumbled. 

"Not used to the cold, Gilder?" Aika prodded. 

"Hell no. I'm a Mid-Ocean boy, not a penguin." He looked up at the light glowing warmly in a window a few floors up. "I hope that's her up there." 

"Even if it isn't, it's probably warmer in the buildings. Let's go." Vyse pulled the large door of the building open, and walked inside. 

The inside of the building proved that it was once some sort of library. Rows upon rows of books were stacked in towering bookcases, and coiled-up scrolls lay on some of the top shelves. The far end of the library was lost in darkness, but a bizzare hovering platform glowed faintly in the dim light nearby. 

"I guess it's another one of those floaty things." Aika wandered over to the platform with Gilder and Fina, and then turned with a frown. "Vyse, never mind the books. I can hear you drooling from here." 

The blue rogue blinked, hand freezing in the act of removing a book from a shelf. "But..." 

"Did you really think you could read ancient Glacian, Vyse? Now get your butt over here." 

He sighed, and walked over to the platform as he was told. 

The platform took them up several floors and past the one they wanted, the light from a room down the hall glowing as they went past. It stopped and hovered there between floors. 

"Why don't these things have buttons like elevators?" Aika grumbled. "Having to think where you want to go is annoying." 

"Shut up and think about going down a floor." At this point, even Vyse was cranky. 

The platform brought them back down to the floor with the light, and they all stepped off onto more solid and sure ground. The hallway was partially covered by glass, but the right wall was made of the strange purple stone most of Glacia was built with. Several doorways stood along the right wall, but the one closest to them was lit up by some unknown light source from inside. Without hesitation, the four of them walked in. 

The room was obviously some sort of study chamber of the library, but it had been converted for somebody to live there. A cot stood in one corner of the room, and a clay brazier filled with red moonstones sat in the opposite corner. Most of the tables and chairs that were once arranged in the room had been pushed along the left wall, and had papers all over them. At the far end of the chamber was a desk cluttered with books. A woman with medium-length dark hair sat with her back to them, face bent over a notebook. 

"Lani?" Vyse ventured. 

The woman gave a start, and nearly dropped her book. She turned around quickly to glance at them warily. Her eyes were dark as her hair, and her facial features and skin tone indicated that she was from Yafutoma. She appeared to be somewhere near thirty, and wore furs similar to theirs. After a moment, she sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry...I didn't expect to see anybody standing there." 

"We're sorry to have startled you. My name is Vyse, and this is Aika, Fina and Gilder. We came looking for you, sent here by Ilchymis." 

"Ilchymis? Whatever for?" She set aside her book to look at them. 

"Well...it's kinda unbelievable when you first think about it....but it's about the Black moon theories he has." 

"You mean my Black moon theories." Lani said calmly. 

"Yours?" He blinked. 

"Yes...here please take a seat...and let me get you all something hot to drink. I'll explain what I know." 


	6. Chapter 5 -- Lani

Lunar Cycle -- Chapter 5 ** CHAPTER FIVE  
Lani**

"It goes back to well over ten years ago." Lani said, holding a mug of tea. "Ilchymis and myself both attended the Upper City University in Valua. I was one of the few people from Yafutoma who attended there, and made few friends because of my appearance and accent. Ilchymis was somebody who could see right through things like apperances, and saw people for who they were instead. He and I became good friends. He studied medicine and engineering, while I studied archeology and mythology. We did wind up taking a few classes together, however...and began to have our little debates on how things were, or how things should be done." She smiled. "I miss that sometimes. Anyway, we both reached our final year, and as part of a project were researching ancient legends. 

"It was an innocent enough project, I suppose....but not when it comes to me and Ilchymis. I suppose there's a bit of childhood wonder in both of us, and we both take certain legends to heart. This was no different. We found a very old manuscript on file at the library that had come from the ancient city of Oasis. Oasis was under the Red Moon during the Old World, but it was a major port and obtained information from all over the world. In this manuscript, which was more of a shipping record than anything, we saw a listing of items coming to and from Oasis. One of the items was Black moonstones." She paused to take a sip of her tea. 

"We saw Black moonstones ourselves...in the Dark Rift." Fina offered. 

"I've seen those too, which is why I seriously believed that there's a Black moon." Lani continued. "The properties of Black moonstones are a bit vague, however. I think they deal with the Dark Rift in some way. They must have power over air pressure, or gravity...or even over time and space themselves. The air pressure in the Dark Rift shifts constantly, which is why the massive storm is maintained there. I don't think that it's caused by the scant few Black moonstones in the center of the rift, however. I think it's caused by a seventh moon. Sadly, nobody has sighted this moon, and nobody has any record of it being seen in the past. 

"Moons don't vanish without a trace, however. I think if the Black moon was destroyed, it would have completely altered the world of Arcadia. If it deals with gravity, then the continents would be effected and either sink below the clouds like Soltis or rise up into the upper atmosphere. If it deals with time or space, then there's no telling what would have happened. No, I think that moon is still out there, but it's hidden from our sight." She sighed. "I've gained more information on it, but it's not with me. I left it all at my house in Yafutoma." 

"Then how would you like to come with us, Lani?" Vyse glanced at his friends, who all seemed to share his sentiments, and then back at the scientist. "We're determined to get to the bottom of this, and see why the weather of the world is changing. We can take you to your home in Yafutoma, you can get your notes, and get any scientific credit to whatever we find." 

"Are you sure I wouldn't be a burden?" 

"Of course not, we'd be happy to have you aboard." He extended a hand. 

Lani took his hand and shook it. "Well then, it'll be a pleasure working with you Vyse." She sighed and looked at the piles of books on her desk. "I was having trouble translating Glacian anyway." 

* * * 

Ice clung to the Belleza's rigging and sails as they cruised at a low altitude through the skies of the Purple moon, the eerie lavander glow their only source of light for navigation. It had taken just as long getting back to their ship as it had taken for them to walk to the ancient library. Vyse had glanced around the massive building one last time and sighed regretfully before they exited, somewhat moping about leaving such a wealth of knowledge behind. They had taken a few of Lani's books, notes and other belongings with her, however; the researcher was very insistant upon that. 

Once again, they went through the thickened rift to the north of the Lands of Ice, although this time taking a more westerly course towards the area near the Dark Rift. Almost as soon as they cleared the rift, they were hit by a strong wind current from the southeast. The medium-sized ship rocked occasionally as it hit turbulance from the various gusts and pockets of air, and it caused them to slow down a bit in order to prevent the already shortened sails from being ripped. Aika also went up on deck as lookout, to try to pick out the differences in cloud cover above Lower Sky that indicated low or high pressure, and thus strong or weak winds. 

"Maybe we should stop in Esparanza until this blows over," Fina said worridly about mid-afternoon. She stood next to Gilder at her post as engineer, while Lani had gone below decks. At first it seemed strange that Fina wanted to handle the technical aspects of the Belleza, but she had spent time learning from Hans and had proved to be an efficient worker; she was very good with her hands, and she could figure out what needed to be done in a matter of seconds. "at least, that's what I think. I don't want to drain all our power by flying straight into the winds....I'd rather not waste fuel." 

"We'll be fine, Fina." Vyse replied assuringly while he gripped the wheel. "See that chain of islands there? They lead straight to the Dark Rift, although in a slightly zig-zag pattern." 

"How can something straight zig-zag?" Gilder asked in an amused tone. 

Vyse ignored him. "If we sail along the north side of those islands, they'll block some of the wind for us, and we can cruise along a bit easier without sucking down moonstones like water." 

"All right, I'll trust your judgement on this one." But her expression was still a bit worryful. 

"Vyse?" Aika's voice came from the talk-tube next to the wheel. 

"See something?" He replied, speaking loudly into the tube. 

"It's...strange. I don't know what it is." Her voice was somewhat tinny-sounding coming through the metal tube. 

"Describe it?" 

"It's a dark...thing. I think maybe another rift has moved or something...come up and see for yourself." 

The scarred pirate turned to Gilder. "Take the wheel for a minute, I'm going to head up and investigate. She's probably seeing things again." 

Gilder took over Vyse's post with a nod. "Yeah, and knowing Aika, she'll probably have an entire back-story thought up by the time you get there." 

It was fairly breezy when Vyse came up onto the deck, although it wasn't overpowering. In fact, the wind had slackened quite a bit since Aika had began navigating them through the various air currents. 

"There you are," she called down to him. "maybe you can give some input. It's to starboard." 

He glanced over to the right, and could clearly see a dark smudge on the horizon. "That's definately odd. Have any guesses to what it might be?" He had to raise his voice over the wind, since she was up in the crow's nest. 

"The Dark Rift, maybe?" 

He shook his head. "It can't be that, the Dark Rift is to the east, not to the south." 

"Things moved around when Soltis rose up....some things moved back to where they were but some didn't....maybe the Dark Rift is one of them." She squinted at the darkness. "Is it just me or does it seem bigger now?" 

Fina wandered up onto the deck, glancing around. "Is what bigger? Did you two figure out what it is?" She brushed away a lock of hair that blew into her face from the strong wind. 

"The black thing there." Aika pointed at the growing, swirling darkness. "I think it might be the Dark Rift." 

"The Dark Rift isn't to the south, Aika." Vyse said loudly over the wind. "While some things moved around during the Soltis incident the Dark Rift definately did not move." He squinted, adjusting his skyseerpatch. "Let me zoom in, maybe I can see if it's a new rift that's formed." 

Fina stared at the dark smudge. "It seems to be getting awfully big....we're not sailing towards it though....are we?" 

The captain muttered a startled oath. "It's not a rift...it moves like a rift, but rifts generally don't float at Upper Sky level, do they?" 

Aika's eyes widened, and she turned to look at the darkness, which was coming up fast, bringing a cold wind with it. "It's a storm??" 

He adjusted his eyepatch back for normal viewing. "A big one too....I won't even suggest taking down the sails, we won't have time. It's moving towards us really quickly." He turned to Fina. "Get below and tell Gilder and Lani to brace for the storm, Gilder probably knows the procedure. I'll come in as soon as Aika gets down from her post." Even though he was right next to her, he could barely be heard over the howling wind. 

The Silvite nodded, and dashed into the deckhouse to warn Gilder of the upcoming danger. Aika, meanwhile stood stupidly staring at the swirling front of black clouds closing in on them, still in the crow's nest. Vyse kicked at the mast to get her attention. 

"Aika, this is no time to stop and stare! Get down from there immediately!" He was somewhat afraid that she couldn't hear him, his voice carried away by the wind, but she began carefully decending the rigging near the mast, braids whipping around her face. The whole ship gave a lurch as a massive air current from the storm hit it straight from starboard. Vyse nearly lost his balance, bracing himself by splaying his feet apart. Aika clung to the rigging, now partway down, although the ropes to which she held onto swayed dangerously in the storm. Another gust began snapping lines and tearing the sails while the two pirates clung to anything in order to prevent from being knocked over or blown away. 

"Aika!" Vyse shouted over the wind, making his way over to the rigging she was inching down while a fierce, nearly-horizontal rain began stinging his face. "Aika, you'll have to try to jump off of there before we're both blown away!" 

"I'll get blown away if I try to jump!" She yelled, her eyes a bit wild. Thunder boomed overhead, although it could of been the sound of the ripped canvas sails being thrown against the mast....it was hard to tell because of reduced visibility from the rain. 

"Aika, you have to do it!" He managed to get next to the rigging she was on, clinging to the rail in order to prevent from being blown away. "Give me your hand, I'll catch you on the way down!" He held out his arm to her. 

She looked at him dubiously, then reached out to him. At that moment the wind became too much for the rigging and the young woman desperately clinging to it, and with a horrible tearing sound the rigging snapped from above and very nearly from below. Aika continued to hold onto the ropes even though they now hung off over the side of the rail, shaking wildly in the wind. She looked up at him, fear in her eyes as she extended her hand towards him. "Vyse! Help me out here!" 

He strained, leaning over the rail and trying to reach her without being blown away himself. He could just barely brush her fingertips with his own. "No good! Climb up a bit!" 

She vaugely nodded, and began inching her way up the straggled ropes, trying to reach him with her left hand. Then the ship gave a massive lurch as another massive gust of wind and squall of rain hit it. The bit of rope that Aika clung to shook wildly to and fro in the wind while the female pirate tried to scramble up it to safety. 

Vyse would always remember that particular moment for the rest of his life. For years to come he would wake up in a cold sweat, mouth dry with fear, remnants of his dream from the memory swimming in his mind, of the look on Aika's face. Aika's feet were free of the netting of the ropes, her arms furiously trying to cling to the rigging while climbing up. When the ship shied violently to one side, the pirate on the rope began to wave in the fierce wind like a child's kite. Pure fear in her face, Aika looked up at Vyse and reached a hand out towards him, shouting something that was carried away by the wind even though they were a few feet apart. He leaned over the rail, just managing to touch her hand but not able to grab ahold of her. Then with a distinct snapping sound, the rope became free, and Aika was blown away from his reach and down towards the certain death of Deep Sky, her wail barely heard over the wind. Their eyes met, and then he could scarecly make out her features through the rain. 

"NO!" was the only thing Vyse could say as he let go of the rail, reaching both hands out towards her in desperation, almost as if he could reach her even though she was already out of his view, his vision clouded by the rain in his face...or perhaps tears. The act of letting go of the rail was not only a futile one but a foolish one as well. Almost immediately he was blown away from the rail as the heart of the storm hit the Belleza, very nearly tearing the mast from the deck. Vyse tried to regain his footing, to reach out, to grab onto anything that prevented him from being tossed around in the storm like a rag doll, but he could do nothing but flail wildly as the force of the wind slammed him into the solid oak deckhouse. The air whooshed out of his lungs and he felt a sharp stinging pain as the impact forced his head to whip back sharply into the wood. 

Vyse tried to fight the wooziness that washed over him, but his vision already began turning white at the edges, the pain at the back of his skull seeming to leech all the energy out of him. Not able to fight it any more, the captain of the Belleza slumped forward onto the deck as darkness overtook him. 

* * * 

The first thought that hit Vyse was that he was thirsty. That basic instinct at first quelled the human sense of confusion and wondering, but then after a second the dull pain at the back of his head made him forget that he was thirsty. He instead racked his brain in a sluggish manner, trying to remember where he was or what had just happened. 

When he slowly opened his eyes, he saw a brown blur above him, the edges of his vision still touched by darkness. After a few moments his eyes slid into focus, and upon glancing around he realized that he was in his bed, in the his cabin on the Belleza. A strange multicolor halo seemed to surround the few lanterns that had been lit, and everything seemed to have a hazy cast to it. Glancing to his left, he saw somebody sitting in a chair, calmly reading a book. It was a woman with somewhat golden colored skin and raven-black hair, tied back into a ponytail, wearing Valuan garb. At first the woman seemed unfamiliar to him, but after a moment he could remember who she was, and what she was doing on the Belleza. 

"...Lani?" His own voice sounded low, drugged, not his own. 

The scientist raised her eyes to look at him and smiled. "Captain Vyse....you're awake." She set aside her book. "I was afraid you might of damaged your brain too much, and you might not wake up." 

"I'm pretty hard-headed." He sat up, ignoring the unsettling sensation that began in his stomach and crept up his esophagus. The room seemed to spin slightly. He vaugely remembered being flung into something hard...which explained why he ached all over. Still, he couldn't remember all the details. "What happened? How did I wind up down here?" He looked down at himself, noting that he only wore his trousers and black sleeveless mock-turtleneck. "And where are my clothes?" 

"You don't remember at all?" She seemed a bit concerned. 

"Not really...I remember flying through the air though." 

She smiled and patted his hand assuredly. "It will all come back to you soon. I'll go get Fina, she'll be pleased that you're awake, and she saw what happened." The Yafutoman scientist rose and left the room quietly, leaving Vyse alone to his thoughts. 

As he sat there and waited, he tried to jog his memory, trying to remember what exactly happened. He knew somewhat that something signifigant happened; something dreadful, but he couldn't remember what it was. Perhaps it was the fact that he half-killed himself while outside, having flown through the air and into something flat and solid. Vyse put a hand to the back of his head, wincing slightly, and then noticed that he had a bandage wrapped around his head. The hair near the bandage felt a bit odd, a bit tacky if not crusty...and after running his hand through it and glancing at his fingers he noted a bit of dried blood had come off. Glancing at his pillow, he saw a faint rust-colored stain there. Well, at least he didn't die. 

Fina then burst into the room and practically tackled him, muttering something excitedly. She threw her arms around him. "You woke up! Finally you woke up, I was really worried...I cast all sorts of green magic spells on you, I was hoping they would help." She gave a weak laugh, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "But you're all right now, and that's what counts." 

He chuckled. "Hey, I don't go down easy. Now stop being so damn affectionate, you're embarassing both of us." His face took on a more serious expression. "Fina, Lani says that you saw what happened. Can you refresh my memory?" 

The Silvite pulled away from him. "You don't remember?" Her eyes seemed a bit red, as if she was crying recently. When he shook his head, she sighed. "All right. Aika spotted this black thing on the horizon...we thought it was a rift, but it turned out to be a storm. While the two of you were trying to get off the deck..." She gave a quavering sigh. "A big gust of wind came....I saw you, Vyse; you were holding onto the rail, but you let go. Then the wind picked you up like you were nothing, and threw you into the side of the deckhouse. I ran out with Gilder and brought you inside." 

Slowly, the memory of what happened surfaced in Vyse's mind. He knew why he had let go of the rail. "Where....where's Aika?" he asked weakly, hoping that his memory was incorrect. 

Fina glanced away, not able to look at him in the face. "...she...fell. She was holding onto some rope and it snapped." Her voice broke, she put a hand to her face to hide her tears. "She was thrown over the side..." She trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. 

All the color drained from his face as the truth of it hit him. Numbly, he rose, ignoring the wave of nausea and dizziness that washed over him, and stumbled out of his cabin into the hall. Gilder stood there, trying to block his path, but Vyse pushed him aside and continued to make his way up onto the deck. 

"Woah, Vyse...come back! Hey! You shouldn't be walking!" Gilder went after him, with Fina not far behind. The tall pirate turned to Fina. "You told him?" 

The Silvite nodded numbly, not able to really say anything. 

The scarred blue rogue totteringly walked up onto the deck, and squinted in the bright sunshine. The rigging and the sails were all torn, and a few boards had been pulled up by the force of the storm. Only one bit of rigging caught his eye, and he made his way over to starboard. He gingerly reached out to touch the tattered bit of rope that was left, remembering the sound it made as it snapped, remembering the look of fear in Aika's eyes before she slipped out of his view and into the rain. "Gone..." he said hoarsely. "She really is gone, I saw her. I tried to reach her...but I couldn't. I could just barely touch her hand and then she was gone..." He bowed his head, gritting his teeth. 

Fina walked up to him, put a hand comfortingly on his back. "...you tried, Vyse...I saw you. It's not your fault." 

He slammed his fist down on the rail vehemently. "It is my fault!" he said through clenched teeth. "The one person I said I'd never let down, the one person I promised I would always help, be there for....gone. All gone because I couldn't do anything. I shouldn't have..." he stopped, unable to talk, his body convulsing with sobs he was trying unsuccessfully to supress. 

"Vyse..." Fina began, but then she felt Gilder's hand on her shoulder. She turned to glance at the tall blue rogue, who shook his head. He calmly led her away back to the deckhouse. 

"There's nothing you can do right now, Fina. Just leave him alone for the time being, he needs some time to accept this. He'll need some time before we can talk to him about anything again. If anybody, you know what it's like to lose your best friend." 

The Silvite nodded numbly, remembering Ramirez. She sighed, glancing at Vyse's trembling form for a minute, and then went into the bridge with Gilder. 

* * * 

The stars were shining brightly in the sky, the southwestern horizon glowing a faint purple from the purple moon just out of view. It was a stunning sight, but Fina wasn't concerned with the beauty of the sky, nor was the person she went up on deck looking for. The only thing on the Silvite's mind was the welfare of her friend. 

Vyse hadn't moved much since that afternoon. He still stood in only his mock-turtleneck and leggings, even though it was somewhat chilly. He shuffled his bare feet when he heard her approach, but didn't tear his gaze away from the horizon. 

"Vyse?" She came to stand behind him. 

He didn't even glance at her. 

"We're all worried about you..." 

"Don't worry about me, Fina, just leave me alone. I need more time." He continued to stare morosely at the whispy clouds racing past. 

Fina was suddenly reminded of several months ago, after she herself found out that her own best friend was worse than dead. She had found out that Ramirez was a lost cause, that he would listen to nobody but Galcian, not even her. His actions had spoken loudly for him, and she knew that she had lost him. The pain of having to admit she'd lost him was an acute one, and she had seperated herself from the others. And yet, when she was cooped up inside the meeting room on Crescent Isle, only one person refused to aknowledge her request to be left alone...and that was Vyse. 

But now, it was the other way around...he had lost the one person he knew better than anybody else, his best friend. And now here he wanted to be left to suffer, just like Fina wanted to be left alone to suffer. The Silvite knew that was the wrong thing to do. 

"You've had enough time, Vyse. I hate to sound harsh but sitting up here crying about it won't solve anything." 

He turned to her, eyes dangerous. "Me? Cry about it? Fina, of anybody you cry the most. I have been through heaven, hell, into space, below the clouds....seen things no man has ever seen, done things nobody could ever face....and you tell me I can't take one moment alone to permit myself to be human?" He sneered. "I've become an idol? A living legend? I'm not a man anymore, just something that people put on a pedastool to adore, or in your case to coddle." 

Her green eyes hardened. She wanted to be reasonable with him, but he was making it difficult. "That's not true...and the reason that you've gotten through all those situations is because you're a headstrong individual." 

Vyse snarled, gripping the rail. "I'm human, Fina. All that headstrong individual garbage is just that: garbage. I've always gotten through situations because Aika was already there. Do you have any idea how this hurts? How it makes me feel?" He stared out at the stars glumly. "She's always been there, supporting me. We were always together...even when we were seperated that brief while after the Little Jack was shot down by the armada, I knew she was all right. But now it's different, I saw her fall with my own eyes...I've seen men fall into the sky, Fina. Nobody comes back." 

The Silvite was suddenly angry. "You are so horribly selfish, Vyse. You should hear yourself." 

He whirled around suddenly to face her, amber eyes flashing with anger and pain. "Selfish? I have lost the one thing that kept me going through it all! And now she's gone, and for once I don't know what to do. My life is turned upside down and you call me "selfish"?" He snarled. "You're so damn cold." 

"Cold?" Her voice rose an octive. "Cold?!" Fina thrust her face into his. "You have no idea how this makes ME feel Vyse. Perhaps in your bouts of pouting you forgot that I lost my own best friend?" She jabbed a finger into his chest. "How do you think I felt when I lost Ramirez? How I felt like I had lost the whole world? And yet I moved on, not able to replace him but able to remember him...and to find hope and love in my other friends, in people like you." Her eyes were like cold, hard emeralds. "I had faith in you, and now all you do is sit here feeling sorry for yourself. I'm not going to let you do that, Vyse. I'll keep up hope, I'll keep up faith and I will NOT allow you to destroy yourself." 

He kept his eyes locked with hers, and then his stubborn resolve seemed to crumble, his shoulders slumping forward. "I'm sorry, Fina. I...I guess I was being pigheaded...I had almost forgotten about how much Ramirez meant to you." 

Fina wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. "Please don't make me yell at you like that again, Vyse..." she said in a broken voice. "I really don't want to get angry like that, especially at you." 

The blue rogue sighed, not used to these outright displays of affection from Fina. While Fina was always a touchy-feely person, she didn't exactly invade other people's space by hugging them. It wasn't as if he particularily minded though. "No, I needed somebody to make me wake up. I think this bandage is constricting my brain or something." He paused, and then sighed again. "Don't cry, Fina. I really don't like it when people cry." 

"Turnabout is fair play." she sniffed. Then she paused for a minute. "Vyse?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Do you want to know what I think?" 

"Yeah, I always do." 

"I think we should look for Aika. She's just as hard-headed as you, and there are so many small islands around this area. She might of landed on one of them." She raised her face to look at him. "At least, I hope she did..." 

Vyse nodded. "No, you're right: we shouldn't just give up hope." He glanced around the deck. "I think that we should head for Esparanza....we really need to make repairs on the Belleza after that storm. But we can still swing around this chain of islands on our way there." He grinned down at her, albiet a bit sadly. "As much as I enjoy being a teddy bear for you, Fina, I really think you should tell Gilder what's up. I think I'll stay up here for a few more minutes and then go to get some shoes on. I think I'm going to be up here scanning the islands all night." 

Fina smiled and kissed his cheek, which caused him to raise an eyebrow. "All right, Vyse. I'll talk to you later." She turned and walked into the deckhouse. He looked after her, shook his head, and then turned to stare out at the horizon once more. 


	7. Chapter 6 -- The Search

Lunar Cycle -- Chapter 6 ** CHAPTER SIX  
The Search**

The floor below her was somewhat uneven, and cold. Aika was fairly certain it was a floor, because it wasn't moving or soft, and it didn't feel like wood. She shivered, not from the cold but as a reaction to the memory of falling. It was vague, but it was still there none the less. Slowly she opened her eyes to glance at her surroundings. 

The cave was dark. One could tell it was a natural cave from first glance from the somewhat lumpy stalagtites jutting down from the ceiling. A small flickering fire was built not too far away from her, carefully placed in an evidant draft to prevent the smoke from being blown towards her. The female pirate sat up, feeling slightly groggy, not to mention a bit damp. Her clothing was wet, as was her hair, which wasn't up in its standard bizzare sideways braids. Somebody, however, had covered her with a cloak, and for that Aika was grateful. She figured she would be freezing cold in this cave with her wet clothing and all, but somebody had taken the trouble to cover her with a warm dark blue cloak. Upon closer inspection, Aika couldn't quite tell what sort of material the cloak was made out of, but she didn't exactly care. She wrapped it around her shoulders and huddled near the fire, still feeling weary, as if she wasn't sleeping at all recently. 

"I see you're awake." came an accented voice to her left, towards where she surmised the mouth of the cave was. A young man perhaps a few years older than Aika stepped into the circle of firelight. His blue-black hair shone purple in light from the flames, and his skin was as pale as milk. 

Aika's eyes widened, remembering the strange young man from the ball. "It's you..." 

The strange young man sat down opposite of her near the fire, and smiled that pleasant grin of his. His neat ponytail was gone, and his purple-tinged hair fell to just past shoulder level, a few strands annoyingly falling in his face near his eyes. He wore more mundane clothing than he did at the ball in Valua, but its cut and style was still somewhat alien. He still preferred black, gray and blue, however. "I'm glad you remember me, Aika. I had hoped that your faint hadn't erased most of your recent memories." 

"I fainted?" 

He nodded, looking into the fire with his red-toned eyes. "Yes...you and your ship were caught in the heart of a storm front caused by the Dark Rift. You were flung overboard. Luckily, I was following your ship and I caught you before you reached lower sky." 

Aika then remembered the look of pain and fear on Vyse's face before she fell, how he reached his hands out to her as she fell away from the Belleza, and how his features and then the ship itself disappeared from her view from the rain...or perhaps from the faint. She sighed sadly. "Yeah, I remember...falling at least. And the storm, but I don't remember landing on your ship or anything. Come to think of it, I'm surprised I'm not sore from hitting your deck." 

"I don't have a ship." he said simply. 

She raised her face to look at him directly. "Then how were you following us?" 

He smiled slightly, and shook his head. "I will tell you later...perhaps tomorrow morning. Right now I think you've had enough stress on your nerves." He dug around in a small pack set aside near the fire. "Are you hungry?" 

Suddenly Aika realized she was famished. "Yes, actually I am." 

The purple-haired man produced a few apples and a piece of cheese. "Here...when the storm blows itself out I can go for more at Esparanza. I apologize, for this is all I have with me for now." He handed the food to Aika, who accepted it and began eating ravenously with somewhat ladylike restraint. 

"Thank you." she said with a mouth full of apple. She really was hungry....she wondered how long she was unconcious. 

"It's no wonder you're hungry. You were unconsious for most of yesterday, and today you've been sleeping on and off." he said, as if reading her thoughts. "You haven't exactly been awake, however; I believe that your mind was still asleep." 

Chewing studiously on an apple, she looked at him shrewdly. "Can you tell me...who are you?" 

"Oh yes, I never introduced myself. My name is Aern." Once again, that pleasant smile. 

"Nice to meet you Aern." She returned his smile. "Uh...here's a stupid question...you're not a vampire or anything, are you?" 

He laughed, a quiet yet pleasant sound. It seemed everything he did was pleasant. "No, I'm not a vampire. I didn't take you here to suck your blood or anything." He cocked his head to the side and listened to a faint howling outside. "The storm is still going strong. Perhaps we can risk it, at least the tail end of it." 

"Where are we going?" 

"To find your friends, of course. I still need to speak to your friend Fina." 

"She's on board the Belleza....they're probably looking for me in this area. You said we were near Esparanza, right?" 

Aern nodded. "Yes, several leagues to the southwest." 

She frowned. "How are we gonna get to the Belleza, if you don't have a ship? Fly?" 

He chuckled and shook his his head. "As I said before, I'll tell you in the morning. For now, I'm exhausted...and you could use some more rest too." He gave a small sigh when he saw her guarded expression. "I won't try anything, Aika. If I wasn't a gentleman, would I have taken you here where it's safe, ensure you were cared for and then fed you?" 

"I'm sorry. It's just once..." she shook her head. "Never mind. Okay, I trust you Aern...you seem like a nice enough guy. I think I'd like to look at the fire for a little while before I sleep though; I have some thinking to do." 

"Very well. I'll speak to you in the morning." He lay down on the stone floor of the cave, his back towards her. After a few minutes, his regular breathing indicated he was sleeping. 

Aika continued to stay awake for at least an hour more, staring into the flames of their small fire. She still wondered how they had gotten here, and how Aern planned on getting them to the Belleza. Whatever it was, it had to be unnatural...you didn't just appear where you wanted to be, after all. Then she began wondering about Vyse and Fina and the others, wondering if they were all right. The Belleza was a sturdy ship and could withstand fairly strong storms, but Aika worried none the less. Then, when her eyelids began to droop with weariness, she lay back down and drifted off into sleep. 

* * * 

Lani opened the hatch from the lower decks to the upper deck, peering around. The weather was warm and dry this morning, and somewhat heavy...but that was to be expected near Esparanza. The scientist walked up onto deck, looking at the makeshift repairs they had made to the sails and rigging. It would have to do for now. She was no sailor, but even Lani could tell the Belleza needed extensive repairs at the nearest port, which would be Esparanza. 

A small snore made her turn to the left. Captain Vyse lay huddled against the rail, one arm slung over the side. The scarred blue rogue apparently hadn't made it back to his quarters last night, since he had volunteered to stay up a bit later and watch the skies for anything long into the night. Lani smiled and shook her head at his determination. Aika must really mean a lot to him, if he strained himself like this. She walked over to him, and gently shook his shoulder. "Vyse?" 

He muttered something in his sleep, but didn't respond otherwise. 

Lani shook harder. "Vyse...Captain Vyse...please wake up. You can't be sleeping up on deck like this." 

He opened his eyes and blinked at her, then glanced at his surroundings. "Huh...must of drifted off..." He stood stiffly, wincing slightly. "Ow...ugh...don't ever let me do that again, Lani. I feel like a pretzel." Vyse twisted slightly, cracking his back. 

"I'll remember that next time. Are you hungry? I made breakfast since Fina didn't feel up to it this morning." 

He took off his skyseer patch and rubbed at his face, having worn it overnight. There was a definate mark left on his skin from it. "How is she doing? She seemed fairly depressed last night." 

Lani sighed and shrugged helplessly. "Who can tell, Vyse? She says that she's fine, but we both know that she isn't. She's doing her best to stay optimistic, though." 

Vyse walked with her into the hatch and towards the dining room. "I am too, but I feel just as horrible as she does." He scratched at the bandage around his head. "Do I still have to wear this stupid thing?" 

"I would say so....until that gash on the back of your head heals." She opened the door to the dining room, went in and sat down near Gilder. 

"Morning, sunshine." Gilder said, looking up from his breakfast. "Have fun sleeping with the rigging?" 

Vyse sat down next to Fina. "It wasn't my idea." He scratched at his hair again. "This stupid bandage...Lani, I'm sure I'm healed up. Fina's been casting green magic spells on me left and right." 

"Do you still feel dizzy?" 

"A bit, but that's probably from not sleeping well." 

"Then leave it on." she said primly. "You still have a concussion." The Yafutoman scientist took a plateful of eggs and began to eat. 

"It's not like my brains are going to leak out of my head..." he grumbled. 

"Just do as she says, Vyse." Fina said. "Lani's a doctor of sorts, she knows what she's doing." She then giggled, and touched at his jawline. "You have a mark there...did you sleep with that eyepatch on?" 

"Once again, not my idea." He began to eat. "I didn't see anything, either. I saw a bit of a dark smudge to the west, but it moved farther and farther away. I think that was the storm that nailed us yesterday." 

"Two days go." Gilder corrected. "You were out cold for an entire day." 

"Fine, then the storm that nailed us two days ago. How close are we to Esparanza?" 

"I'd say about a half a day." the red-clad pirate said. "But that's in a straight line, without scanning the line of islands we've been following. They sort of go away from Esparanza." 

"We can scan the islands later. Right now, we really need to make some repairs. Besides, we can ask around Esparanza...maybe see if a ship nearby picked up Aika. We were sailing along a well-traveled trade route after all." He scratched at his bandage again. "Damn this stupid thing...I'm healed enough." Pulling at it, he began to remove the layers of tacky cloth. 

"I wouldn't do that...I already told you to keep it on." Lani said. 

"I'm fine...ask Gilder, he knows." He continued to attempt to pull it off, trying not to pull half the hair off his head. 

Gilder held up his hands defensively. "Woah...leave me out of this, Vyse. I refuse to take any part in your little battle here." 

"Spoilsport." After utilizing a knife, he was able to remove the sticky clothlike tape from his head without removing too much hair in the process. He sighed happily and scratched at his hair where the bandage was. "So much better." Standing, he pushed back his plate. "I think I'll head up and take the wheel now." 

"No you don't." Fina reached out to grab his arm. "You're getting more rest...you barely slept up there on the deck." 

Vyse's face took on a pained expression. "Why are you people all treating me like a baby? I'm telling you I'm fine." 

"Gilder can continue fine without your help....he knows where Esparanza is." The Silvite stood and began pulling him towards the door. "Come on, it's naptime." 

He dug his heels into the floor, stopping her efforts to move him. "Naptime?!" he cried incredulously. 

She bit her lip. "All right, poor choice of words....but you really ought to rest. You're never going to get rid of that headache if you treat yourself badly." Fina gave his arm a tug. "Now, come on." 

Vyse turned to Gilder, who was laughing. "Will you stop that?" He shook his arm free from Fina's grasp. "Fine, it's naptime for Vyse baby. Whatever. Just wake me up when we get there." 

"Whatever you say, Captain Vyse." Gilder said with a completely straight face. 

* * * 

Esparanza was as run-down as ever. The strange, unorderly town was still a mass of steel shanties and rusted towers huddled against a sheer rock face. The smell of pitted iron and propane exhaust hung heavily over the town. It was never a pleasant place, but it was a necissary stop for many ships heading to and from the Dark Rift. On this particular day, there seemed to be quite a few ships docked at the harbor, and more merchants wandering idly down the streets. 

"I've never seen so many people here." Fina commented. "Normally this town is half-dead." 

"It's probably the weather." Lani said. "Seeing how strong that storm that hit us was, I imagine the Dark Rift has become very intimidating, and you'd have to be insane to try to navigate it in the first place." 

"That never stopped me before." Vyse said dryly. "All right...I guess we can stop at that tavern over there. Drunks have a tendancy to be fountains of information." 

The tavern was crowded, noisy, and a thick haze of smoke hung just over the tables. Gilder waved his hand in front of his face with a cough. 

"I'm not against a good smoke, but this is ridiculous." He squinted through the smoke. "All right, I'll go over to the bar to ask around." He made his way over, and almost immediately began flirting with the young woman tending bar. 

"Gilder never changes." Fina shook her head. Then she narrowed her eyes as her gaze fixed on somebody. "Vyse....isn't that Vigoro over there?" She pointed at a burly man seated at the far end of the tavern. 

Vyse looked at the man she pointed at with obvious distaste. Nobody really liked Vigoro, even after he had apparently reformed. Vyse himself disapproved of the ex-admiral's callous attitude towards women, and how he viewed them as objects rather than people. The one thing that really set Vyse's teeth on edge, however, was how Vigoro tried to force himself on Aika in the Grand Fortress a year past. 

"From the looks of it, you don't like that man very much." Lani commented. 

"Let's just say that he tried doing some unspeakable things to my best friend...and nobody, I mean nobody messes with Aika while I'm around." He sighed. "But I suppose we should talk to him, he might know something about where she is." The blue rogue captain strode through the crowds towards the large man seated lazily at a table by himself. 

"Well well, hello there Vyse." Vigoro said with a grin. "Didn't expect to see you in a dump like this." Even though he was seated, he was at about eye level with Vyse. He gave an oily smirk at Fina. "Hey there, babe. I like the new threads, they show more of that pretty skin of yours." 

Fina's face hardened and instead of ducking behind Vyse, she crossed her arms and stood her ground, meeting Vigoro's lecherous gaze with a steely stare. Cupil hovered next to her head, growling in a burbly manner at the large man. 

Vigoro laughed. "You've changed, little lady. Not as shy and demure as you were, apparently....more like Red." He glanced around the crowded establishment. "Where is she, anyway? I've been hoping I'd run into her lately." 

Fina's hard glare dissolved, and she looked at the floor. "We don't know. A storm hit our ship two days ago, and Aika was thrown over the rail." 

The large man's couth attitude melted, his tanned face draining of color. "What?" He looked at Vyse. "How could this happen?" 

"I keep asking myself that, Vigoro." He shrugged helplessly, his shoulders slumping. "It was circumstance, there was nothing I could do, and nothing Aika could do either." He straightened. "We were hoping sombody picked her up; I know there's a lot of small islands around the region we were sailing in, and we did see quite a few ships around that day." 

The ex-admiral shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry Vyse, I really am...but I haven't seen her. I haven't heard anything of her being around Esparanza either." 

"That's all right, we'll keep looking until we find her." Vyse glanced around the bar, looking for Gilder. 

"Don't bother." Vigoro said in an abyssmal tone. "We both know what happens when people get thrown overboard in a storm out at open sea." 

The blue rogue snapped his head back to glare at the burly man, his amber eyes burning. "Excuse me?" 

"Look, I hate to be the pessimist, but Aika's good as dead. Not even Red could survive being dumped over the rail, especially near the Dark Rift....not unless she could fly, and that's doubtful." 

"You're both disgusting and insulting, Vigoro...you're suggesting I just give up and abandon her? Do you have any idea--" 

The ex-admiral stood to his full height. "Do YOU have any idea what time you're wasting?" he said, cutting Vyse off. "She's gone! She flew over the side, I've seen it happen before! I know you're a bit crazy at times, but you're just a goddamn jackass if you're wasting time and breath to tear the ocean apart looking for her. Wake up, already! Give it up!" 

Vyse's eyes widened with an unreadable emotion and then he narrowed them, looking up at the large man, face red with rage. Then, he suddenly pulled back and slammed his fist squarely into Vigoro's jaw. While Vyse wasn't an overly tall person, he was incredably strong for his size; the massive man stumbled back from the blow, and fell over onto the table behind him. The entire bar fell silent, all turning to look at the scene unfolding at the far end of it. 

"You son of a bitch...I ought to break your jaw for what you've said..." Vyse pulled back his fist to hit him again, taking a step forward, but Fina wrapped her arms around his arm, restraining him. 

"No, Vyse! Beating on him won't solve anything!" She looked at him, her green eyes both pleading and reassuring. "Just let it lie." 

Still breathing a bit heavily, the infuriated blue rogue lowered his fist, lowering his eyes to the floor. Then he turned and walked out of the silent bar, the crowd hastily moving out of his way. The door slammed behind him, and a hushed buzz came from the bar's patrons. 

Gilder walked over to Fina and Lani, who still stood near Vigoro. "What the hell was that just now? I've never seen him so angry. Didn't think he'd go and pop somebody twice is size." 

"I didn't either." Vigoro said, rubbing at the ugly purple welt forming on his face. He flickered his eyes up to them. "No apologies for what I said, I'm just being realistic. Go find your captain before he beats the hell out of somebody else." He then straightened, and sat down in his chair as if nothing had happened. Both Fina and Gilder followed his advice, and hurried out of the bar after Vyse, but Lani lingered for a minute. 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Vigoro." she said. "I didn't think he'd do something like that." 

Vigoro waved his hand, dismissing the whole ordeal. "Don't worry about it, just go calm him down. Nothing worse than a moody captain." 

Vyse continued to stride angrily towards...somewhere. Away from the bar was his only destination, and he just let his legs carry him to wherever while his mind continued to spin. He massaged his fist as he walked, somewhat ruefully admitting that he shouldn't have hit Vigoro...at least not that hard. Behind him, he could hear his crew calling his name. The blue rogue stopped to let them catch up, but he didn't turn to face them. 

"Vyse, what the hell was that just now?" Gilder demanded. 

"I don't know." came the reply, in a restrained tone of voice. 

"I've never, repeat, never seen you go whacko like that before, and I've known you to go through some incredable situations without batting an eyelash: escaping from the Grand Fortress, blowing up Gigas, saving the world." Gilder crossed his arms. "Turn to look at me when I'm talking to you." 

"And who are you, my father?" Vyse turned to glare at the taller pirate. 

"I'll let that slide because you're acting stupid right now. I know you hit your head, but you're being ridiculous. You're flat out being a jerk." 

"I think I'm permitted to be a jerk from time to time," the scarred pirate declared hotly. "especially when I'm cranky, frustrated and upset all at once." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't me, and you guys are suffering for it. Maybe it's because I hit my head too hard...I don't know." He brought a hand up and rubbed at his face wearily. "I'm just so tired..." he said quietly. 

"Vyse..." Fina began. 

"You three continue searching for information....I think I should go off somewhere and cool down for a while." 

"Maybe that's for the best." Lani agreed. 

"All right, then. I'll meet you three on the Belleza in a few hours." Vyse turned and walked off towards the dusty, eastern end of Esperanza. There was a definate weariness to his gait, one that he didn't let show often. 

Fina watched him walk away almost sadly. "He's right, this isn't like him at all. I've never seen him like this." She clasped a hand to her chest, something she generally did while nervous or upset. "He's faced so many obsticles that would make other men cringe just thinking about them, and did just fine. Why is this effecting him so much?" 

"I think it's because Vyse has know Aika since both of them were little." Gilder replied. "Losing somebody like that's gotta be rough." 

"Perhaps it's more than that." Lani said thoughtfully. "Maybe he has feelings for Aika, and that's why this bothers him so." 

"I wonder that too, sometimes." the tall pirate admitted. "But then again, even if it's true I doubt even Vyse knows about it....or maybe just pretends not to know. Ignorance is bliss." 

"We should move on." Fina declared, not fully able to hide the bitter disappointment and chagrin on her face and in her voice. "We need to continue searching the town, and then there's the matter of getting our sails and rigging fixed." 

"All right." Gilder agreed, not dwelling on the obvious reason why Fina was upset. "Let's split up, we'll get more work done that way." 

* * * 

Vyse's legs took him to the rusted-out watchtower at the southestern tip of Esparanza, a tall, ugly, iron structure situated on a small island near the city. He walked along the somewhat wobbly catwalk towards the pitted tower, trying to sort out this thoughts and clear his head so he could think logically. No matter how he tried, he simply couldn't. Normally, he could easily set aside any anxiety, fear, anger or any other emotion he was feeling; just enough so he could think clearly. No clear thoughts came to him as he climbed the creaking ladder of the tower, however. The only thoughts that came to him were the last moments he saw Aika, how she did each small thing, and how those things stuck in his mind vividly. 

It was windy and somewhat chilly up on the battlements, but he didn't really react to the cold; it was as if his mind was so detached from his body, he couldn't even feel the goosebumps on his arms and the back of his neck. His mind was elsewhere, it was focused on Aika clinging to the rigging, fear encompassing her face; it was focused on Aika, tumbling through the sky, obscured by both rain and tear-blurred vision. The memory made him want to pound his fists on the metal of the tower and howl in anguish. 

But he didn't give in to such emotional displays; he had done enough of that recently. Instead, he sat down on the cold metal floor of the battlements, and leaned against the turret that housed the once-powerful cannon, staring out at the swirling inkiness that was the Dark Rift in the distance. He was relatively calm now, and Vyse knew that he should go back down to aid his friends in their search, not to mention see to the repairs of the Belleza. 

He did none of these things, however. Vyse instead stared out at the imposing blackness on the horizon without really seeing it, and remembered Aika. 


	8. Chapter 7 -- Rememberance

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 7 ** CHAPTER SEVEN:  
Remembrance**

_ "It hurts..." the little girl complained, sniveling in the dirt. She had large, brown eyes and long red hair that was tied back in a ponytail. Her blue skirt was streaked with mud. "My mommy's gonna be mad..." _

"I said I was sorry." Vyse replied. He didn't exactly like this newcomer to the island, especially since she was a full year younger than he was. She had been here only a few days and already she got on his nerves. 

"You didn't have to push me..." the four-year-old whined. 

"I wouldn't have pushed you if you didn't try to steal my toys." The young boy indicated the small toy soldiers and model ships that lay scattered around the yard. 

"I wasn't stealing, stupid!" She stood up, stomping her foot. "I was trying to play with you!" 

"I don't play with girls." He declared adamantly. "Go play with some dolls somewhere." 

"You're mean, you know that?" She said while thrusting her face in his, tears forgotten. "I've just moved here and I try to be your friend and all you do is be mean! I don't care if you're the cap'n's son, you're a big jerk!" 

"Don't get so close." Vyse warned. "I'll push you again." 

"No you won't 'cause I'll beat you up first!" Then the little redhead leaped on top of him and started pummeling him in the head and shoulders with her tiny fists. The attack took the little boy by surprise, and within a few seconds she was seated on his chest, beating on his face while screeching at him. After a few moments, she stopped, her face almost thoughtful as she looked down at her victim, who had a bloody nose at this point. "Are you crying?" 

"You hit me, and it hurts." came the tearful yet sullen reply. 

"Boys aren't supposed to cry, you know that?" She continued to sit on his chest, but at least stopped thumping his head with her fists. 

"I'm bleeding, the blood's going into my mouth from my nose." 

The redhead sighed and stood, brushing herself off. "Then cry about it, I don't care. It won't stop your nose from bleeding." 

Vyse stood up, pinched his nose and tilted his head back, something his mother had taught him. "You hit hard for a girl." 

"You cry a lot for a boy." 

"Not a lot, really." He made a disgusted sound. "We should make a deal." 

The little girl had stooped to pick up a toy ship, and was examining it critically. "What do you mean?" 

"Like, a deal. I know you just moved here and I haven't been too nice to you so far. I think you'll be living here for a while so we can at least be nice to each other." He looked at the miniature Valuan destroyer she held. "Like, you can play with that." 

"And then what do I have to do?" She asked. 

"Well not hitting me anymore would be nice. But maybe share stuff with me." 

The little redhead suddenly grinned. "I have lots of candy...my dad always gets it for me when he can." 

Vyse's answering grin spoke volumes. "That sounds like a pretty good deal to me." 

"I'm Aika." the redhead declared, setting down the toy destroyer next to the other toys. "And maybe now that we've both hurt each other and learned something we can be friends. We're neighbors anyway." She looked at him. "You're the captain's son....V...Vize or something?" 

"Vyse, my name is Vyse." He winced about his bleeding nose, and then looked at her again. "Okay Aika, since we plan on being friends, we should make some rules. The first rule is we don't beat each other up, okay?" 

* * * 

"They've been gone for days..." Aika stared out the window, her long, red hair fixed in a braid that fell to her waist. 

"I wouldn't worry about it." Vyse said, sitting in a chair nearby while drawing on a piece of paper with the stub of a pencil. "Your parents always go out for a few days for some raids anyway. Besides, they're with my dad. You know he wouldn't let anything happen to them." Secretly, however, the eight-year-old was worried. While two days or so wasn't something to worry about, five days was something entirely different. Still, he tried to maintain his composure around Aika, and spent most of his time at her house to keep her company. The redhead seemed grateful for his presence, but still she continued to worry. "Are you hungry? We could go over to my house and ask my mom to make some sandwiches." 

"Not really." She didn't turn from the window, looking out at the sky on the horizon, scanning it for any signs of ships. "What are you drawing?" she asked. 

"Somebody with a sword, I don't know. I can't get his one foot right, so I keep rubbing it out and re-drawing it." 

Aika smiled and turned to look at his artwork. "You draw really good, Vyse. You could make money off of it someday." 

He shook his head. "I don't want to...I'd rather be a sailor. Sailors get to see the world, but artists just sit in a room all day and draw until their hands fall off." 

She laughed and ruffled his hair, something she knew he hated. "You want to be just like your father. That's okay, I want to be like my mom and dad too. I'd like to jump aboard ships and rob them blind before they can do anything." 

At that point, the door to Aika's home opened, and Vyse's mother stepped in. "You two, there are small ships pulling into port. I think they've finally come back." 

Vyse stood. "Small ships? But they only went out on the Marlin, not a bunch of smaller boats." He pulled Aika along. "C'mon Aika, we've got to see what's up." He glanced up at his mother as he exited the house with the seven-year-old redhead in tow. "They weren't lifeboats, were they?" 

She didn't answer him, but began walking towards the docks below. 

All available hands were on the dock in the underground wharf, all standing and waiting as the blue-painted lifeboats puttered their way wearily inside. Vyse ran down the zig-zagging ramps, counting the number of lifeboats while also searching for his father's familiar face. Captain Dyne was already on the dock, helping bandaged-up sailors off the small boats and shouting orders to get the medics. The boy ran up to his father, dodging between the ranks of sailors milling about, Aika still dogging his heels. 

"Dad! What happened?" 

Dyne looked down at his son grimly, then turned to his wife. "Connie, take these kids out of here...wait with them in my office. I need to do a head count and see to the wounded." 

"What happened?" Vyse's mother echoed his question, concern on her face. "Where's the Marlin?" 

"It was the Valuans." the captain said shortly. "I have work to do, now." He turned and began shouting orders, despite the evident weariness on his face. Vyse's mother gently took the hands of the two children, and with a small smile, lead them back up the ramps to Dyne's office. Vyse walked along numbly, thinking of what his father said. He had heard some things about the Valuans, how they were a dominating country, how they had vast ships...but he had never thought they'd actually go out of their way to shoot down blue rogues. He glanced over at Aika, who looked close to tears. It was then he realize that he didn't see her parents among the ranks. He fervently hoped the worst hadn't happened. 

The two of them sat down on a bench in the office, at Connie's prompting. She sat down in a nearby chair, and waited patiently. The two children would normally be less than patient, but something about the situation made them sit quietly. After what seemed an eternity, Dyne entered the office. There was a weariness to his gait, a weariness Vyse didn't see very often. Very rarely was there a situation that caused the man to succumb to stress, and yet it appeared that the weight of the world rested on Dyne's shoulders. 

He paused by his chair at the head of the table, the large oak chair that nobody could sit in except for the captain of the Marlin himself. He looked at it for a moment as if he would sit, and then moved on towards the bench where the children sat. Captain Dyne gravely looked at his wife, and then leaned down to get to eye-level with Aika, hands rested on his knees. 

Vyse leaned forward. "Dad? What's going on?" 

Dyne glanced at his son, and then back at Aika. "I need to tell you what happened, but you have to promise to be very brave." 

Aika nodded numbly. "Okay." 

The pirate nodded. "Good girl. Aika, we were out on a routine raid in Mid-Ocean, and the Valuans attacked us. There were many battleships and the Marlin couldn't defend herself from them all. They shot torpedoes at us, and there was a big fire. Not everybody could get off the ship before it sank." He took a deep breath, and plunged on. "Your parents were trapped on board by the fire, Aika. They were on the ship when it fell." He sighed and reached out to gently pat the girl on the shoulder when she burst into tears. "I know, I know...it's hard. But I promised myself and your parents that I would watch over you for them, and that's what I'll do. You'll be like our daughter, now; Connie and I will watch over you." He held out his arms to her. "Here now, it'll be all right." 

Aika pushed herself off the bench and flung herself into Dyne's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Vyse himself felt the tears forming in his eyes and the telltale burning in his throat, but he wouldn't permit himself to cry. He knew that it wasn't only Aika that needed to be brave; he needed to be brave himself. Somehow Vyse knew that he would have to be there for her more than his parents ever could be, and that he was the only one who could fill the gaping hole that had now appeared in her life. 

* * * 

"Are you sure it's okay to just take one of the little ones like this?" The young girl seemed anxious, almost nervous. She toyed with the front of her blue and white dress. "I don't want to get us in trouble." 

"Don't worry about it, Aika...my dad won't even know it's gone." He gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll be gone and back before our parents even know." Pulling away from the dock, the small shoreboat puttered its way out into the open sky, unnoticed. 

It was such a brilliant plan, Vyse thought to himself. He made up some story that he and Aika were going to hide out in the windmill today, and that they were going to be gone all afternoon. What Vyse really wanted to do, however, was try out the new swords his father gave him. One was longer, curved, and his father had called it a "falchion". The other was shorter but sharper, and even Vyse knew it was a cutlass. While Vyse's mother had thought giving swords to a ten-year-old was somewhat unwise, Dyne had reassured her, stating that Vyse should learn swordsmanship at an early age. Only once he could fight properly would he be of any use on raids. 

The small boat touched down on a medium-sized island not too far away from Pirate Isle, landing on a flat area carpeted in long, green grass. Aika jumped out and landed lightly on her feet, looking around at the scenery. 

"Maybe you were right, Vyse; this was a good idea. Just look at this place...it's so green and peaceful." She stood, taking in a deep breath of air. "And it's nice to get a breath of air that doesn't smell like moonstone exhaust." 

"Not to mention it's great to get away from everybody." he added, vaulting out of the boat, cutlasses in hand. 

She turned to him, shaking her head. "You got in another fight again, didn't you?" 

"What if I did? I didn't hurt him too much...well, this time anyway." He shrugged as if it was nothing. 

"And who was it this time? Bryan?" 

Vyse shuffled his feet. "Nah, Bryan and me are on good terms now. He hasn't frustrated me in two weeks now, so we don't fight." He looked at the horizon, at the powder-puff clouds gently rolling past. "No, this time it was Erik." 

Aika visibly started. "Erik? Why Erik? What did he ever do to you?" 

"He irritated me--a lot." The truth of the matter was that Erik did far more than irritated Vyse. Erik was a boy a year older than Vyse, who liked hanging around Aika's house. He seemed to be there frequently, asking Aika if she wanted to go play but at the same time excluding Vyse. This not only irritated Vyse, but also brought out the jealousy in him. Aika was HIS best friend, and while he didn't mind her having other friends he did dislike Erik for wanting to hog Aika all the time. Not only that, but whenever Aika would opt to go with Erik, the boy would glance at Vyse with a taunting look of triumph. It basically made Vyse's blood boil. When he was little, he was a fairly well-behaved boy. Now that he was a bit older, however, he seemed to enjoy thrashing the other boys on the island. It had nothing to do with the fact that Vyse was Captain Dyne's son; it was more that Vyse was horribly frustrated and bored, and he needed to vent in some way. 

"Please don't beat up Erik, Vyse. He's not a bad kid, I know you'd see that...if you gave him a chance." She sighed a bit ruefully. "Why can't you ever get along with my friends?" 

"I have my reasons. And I get along with the girls, anyway." No matter how much girls did in fact irritate Vyse, he refused to be cruel to them. Some of the common sense his mother instilled in him rose to the surface sometimes. "If it makes you happy, I won't fight him unless he really asks for it, okay?" He slashed at the air with a cutlass. "He was sorta asking for it this time, y'know." 

"Whatever...don't make promises you can't keep." She glanced around the island, and towards a small forest along the one side of it. Before the forest, there was a small pond, and surrounding the pond was a field full of alfalfa and wildflowers. "This place looks like a lot of fun." She said, changing the subject. "I'm gonna check out that pond, maybe pick a few flowers." 

"Okay, I'll be around here for a while. This place is nice and open and I want to try out my birthday gift." He grinned, holding up a cutlass. 

Aika rolled her eyes and walked off towards the pond. Vyse watched her as she stooped to pick a few flowers, and then turned his attention towards the light blades in his hand. He had seen people use single swords, but never two at once. His own father preferred a gun, saying it was a "gentleman's weapon". The boy, however, always had some interest in various kinds of swords. He was constantly drawing pictures of men with swords, and feigning swordplay with a wooden sword in his yard. He figured that with the practice he had watching others and playing with that fake sword, he ought to get fairly proficient with these cutlasses. 

He took an experimental swing with the one in his right hand. It whistled through the air cleanly, although it didn't exactly stop when he wanted it to. He would have to adjust his swings for the added weight of the metal and the moonstones within. The blue moonstones inside made the metal shine an aqua color in the sunlight, one of the things Vyse liked. He took a swing with his left hand, with the falchion, and decided that it was still a bit to heavy to swing. But yet, when he held it this way and extended his arm in this manner...and perhaps crouched a bit...that would work; he could defend fairly well with that sword and still attack with the cutlass in his right hand. Now if he swung down instead of right to left...there, that would use the weight of both his arm and the sword. 

He was getting the hang of it after a half-hour or so, although his shoulder ached quite a bit. Vyse figured that as he trained more day by day, his muscles would get used to it and the ache would disappear. Within a year or even a few months, he may even develop some descent muscle. That appealed to Vyse; he was always such a skinny boy, built almost as thin as a girl. He fervently hoped that he would stop being so thin and start looking like somebody male. The fact that he had long eyelashes and his hair was somewhat long and held back in a ponytail didn't help much either. Well, he could cut his hair at least. Maybe then, people wouldn't make fun of him, and he wouldn't have to beat them up on a regular basis. 

A scream came from the direction of the pond. He had almost forgotten about Aika. Turning, he looked to see what she was so excited about. Aika was clutching wildflowers to her chest, and staring at the surface of the pond in horror. The green-brown waters were disturbed, as if something were moving below the surface. 

Vyse ran up to her. "What's wrong? Why are you screaming?" 

"There's a thing in the water!" she said a bit frantically, pointing with a shaking hand at the pond. "I saw these yellow eyes and this really big head pop out of the water. Then I screamed and it went back down." 

He scanned the water with his eyes, looking for any trace of what she was talking about. Something was definitely moving beneath the water, although what it was Vyse couldn't exactly tell. "Maybe we should get out of here...I'd rather not find out what's in there." 

But it was too late. Something large, black and long erupted out of the water, throwing back a spray of droplets as it reared back its wedge-shaped head. The creature slid open its white secondary eyelids to fix its dull, reptilian gaze upon the two children. Before either of them could start running, it lunged at them, jaws agape. 

Reacting almost instinctively, Vyse lashed out at it with a cutlass. The blade glanced off the serpent's teeth with a disturbing clanging sound, and managed to nick the creature's lower jaw. It reeled back, hissing loudly in pain, gathering itself up for another strike. 

"Aika, get down!" Vyse shouted, stepping between her and the monster without even thinking about it. He wasn't quite prepared for the snake's second strike, and only managed to leap partially to the side as it snapped its jaws in his face, with a bite that would of taken off his face if he hadn't moved. Still, its large pointed teeth grazed the left side of his face, leaving a deep gash just below his eye and a smaller one on his chin. Crying out in pain, he stumbled back into Aika, who was practically sobbing in fear at this point. 

Then something happened, although he couldn't exactly remember what set it off. Perhaps it was the blood running down his face from the deep cut under his eye. Perhaps it was the sound of Aika simpering behind him, or even the dull, dead look of hunger in the snake's eyes. Whatever it was, it triggered something within the boy, something beyond the frustration and anger he felt when fighting another boy. Vyse felt rage, and only knew one way of releasing it. Swinging his cutlass, he slashed at the monster's face. Then he swung the one in his left hand, cutting right through the reptilian scales. Then another, then another, his sword strokes becoming both stronger and faster as he went on relentlessly, attacking the face and neck of the serpent. Then, utilizing all his weight, he lunged forward with both blades and slid them cleanly into the throat, just below the jaw. 

With a gurgling hiss, the snake began to thrash around violently, even though Vyse's cutlasses were still embedded in its throat. Clinging wildly, the boy was tossed about as the animal whipped its head around in death throes. Then the swords came free and sailed, Vyse and all, onto the grassy bank of the pond. Ignoring the pain he felt from the impact, he partially rose and watched as the mortally-wounded serpent sink back below the water's surface. 

Slowly he stood, looking down at the blood-covered blades in his hand. He had no idea that he could of ever done anything like that, especially to an animal of that size. It was then he realized he was trembling, not from fear but from rage, from the remnants of adrenaline in his system. At the same time, he felt somewhat resentful, having killed another living thing. He didn't have too much time to think about it, however. Aika ran over and practically tackled him. 

"You big jerk!" She said, shaking him violently. "You could of gotten killed! What made you fight that thing, anyway?" 

The cutlasses slid from Vyse's fingers. She was right, doing such a thing was stupid. "I...I don't know. I had to, I guess." He wiped at the blood running down his left cheek, wincing at the pain. "It would of eaten you if I hadn't done something. I couldn't let it do that." 

Aika's hard countenance melted, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're an idiot, a really big idiot...playing the knight in shining armor. I swear, if you do that again--" 

"But you know I will do it again. I'll always be there for you." He was getting somewhat uncomfortable from Aika's embrace, but at the same time didn't exactly mind. She was safe, and that's what mattered. He patted her on the back. "Don't cry, Aika. That thing's dead now and we're both safe." 

"I'm not crying because I'm scared, I'm crying because you risked your butt for me." She said it in an almost matter-of-fact manner. 

"Well, of course I did. I'll always protect you, Aika...no matter what. That's a promise." 

* * * 

Vyse's eyes snapped open. He hadn't exactly been dozing, and yet it was obvious that quite some time had passed since he had climbed up to the top of the rusted-out guntower. He had let his thoughts wander, and by doing so had wasted hours of the day away. The whole time he had been thinking, he had been thinking about his best friend. 

The blue rogue put a hand to the scar below his left eye, the scar he had earned that day he saved Aika's life and vowed to always protect her. He was grounded for a month after that, both for stealing the small boat but also for nearly getting Aika and himself killed. Still, it was worth the punishment and the scar he received; that event had cemented the friendship between them. The promise that he had made always held true, and Aika had made her own of sorts: she would always watch out for him, and he would always do his best to watch out for her. 

Until a few days ago. That promise had been broken, Aika had slipped over the Belleza's rail and fell into the sky. Even if there was the small chance that Aika had somehow survived, Vyse knew that he could never forgive himself for what had happened. If there was one thing he never did was break a solemn promise, even if circumstances were dire. He had always found some way or another to come to her aid, even during many situations in the search for the six moon crystals. 

Looking down at the Esparanza, he sighed and decided that mulling over it even more wouldn't help the situation any. Even though his hopes were small, he knew that pouting on top of a rust-covered tower wouldn't help find Aika. He also knew that the Belleza's rigging, sails and deck needed serious repairs, not to mention they needed more supplies if they were going to be searching the skies. Sighing, he climbed down the creaking ladder of the tower, and went to find his crewmates. 


	9. Chapter 8 -- Reunions

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 8 

** CHAPTER EIGHT  
Reunions**

It was probably afternoon at this point, although Aika didn't have a clock to gauge what time it was exactly. She figured it to be an hour or so after noon, judging by the kind of light outside. When she had woken up she hadn't seen Aern anywhere, although she did note that his packs were gone. At first she thought that he had deserted her, but then she thought better of him; he wouldn't have gone through the trouble of rescuing her just to ditch her. Besides, he had left his cloak behind as a sort of blanket for her, and that wasn't something you discarded, especially when there were storms raging outside. 

It was drizzling when she awoke, and had continued on until...well, until whatever time it was. The thick clouds and hazy rain obscurred the sky, so not only could she not tell what time it was, but she couldn't see any moons in the sky to discern her location. All she knew that she was on an island, and she could somewhat see another one looming in the distance to the left. Whether that was north, south, east, west or whatever was unknown to Aika. All she knew was that she was still stuck on this island. 

Sighing, she wandered back inside the cave. She was fairly hungry, but there was no food left since yesterday. Aern had made some mention about going off to Esparanza for more supplies, and that's where Aika figured he had gone. Still, being left alone was boring. Aika wasn't one for solitude most of the time. She preferred companionship and conversation over anything else. She picked up another hunk of the strange gnarled wood that Aern had set aside for firewood, and threw it on the coals of the fire to revive the flames. The dry wood caught fairly quickly. 

So many things were strange about him...his clothes, his coloring, his accent...even this wood he brought. He had claimed to not be a vampire, and Aika believed him for the most part, but he still didn't seem normal. Something about the way he moved seemed strange, almost graceful in manner. His ettiquite was extreme, he was very polite and did his best to be a gentleman towards her. He seemed to do it more out of habit than anything else, not out of hopes of picking up on her. 

"Sorry I'm late." came the deep, accented voice. Aika jumped and turned to see Aern standing there, several packs slung over his shoulder. His hair and face were dripping wet, as were the outside of the packs, yet his clothing seemed more or less dry. "I brought more food from Esparanza." he declared, setting the packs down on the floor. "Although it's raining like mad there. It's amazing how one little storm will cause all to hole up in their homes as if it's the end of the world." 

"Don't forget it's one little storm that threw me overboard." Aika said, looking at the food in the packs. It was more fruit, bread and cheese, but Aika wasn't horribly picky. "Why didn't you tell me you were going? I could've gone with you." 

"Not in this weather. I can manage in the rain by myself, but going a long distance with a passanger is difficult in stormy weather. Besides, I left very early and you needed your rest." He sat down. "Help yourself, I've already eaten." 

"You don't have to tell me twice." She pulled a fruit out of the pack and bit into it. 

"I saw your ship there." Aern stated, staring into the fire. "The rigging was partially repaired, but the sails were all removed. I think it was hit fairly hard by the storm." 

"Did you see anybody on it?" Aika asked eagerly. 

He shook his head. "Sorry, no. There were a few workmen around, but I didn't see any of your companions. I didn't have the opportunity to ask around, either. I think they were inside one of the inns or taverns when I was there." 

"Well, at least you saw the Belleza. Did it look travelworthy?" 

"More or less. As I said they removed the sails, but the masts and decks were fine." 

"That's something at least. They must be all right then." She looked at him. "Why is it you didn't have the opportunity to ask around? Didn't you at least stop in a grocer's to buy this food?" 

Aern coughed uncomfortably. "I uh...stole it." 

She raised an eyebrow. "You...steal? I didn't figure you as the type." 

"I normally don't, but lately I've had no choice. It's not that I don't have any money...although I doubt my currancy would be accepted at Esparanza." 

Aika sighed. "All right, Aern. I think it's time you give an explanation. I don't know who you are, where you come from, and how you even manage to get around. I mean, what are you exactly, a flying man?" 

His red eyes met hers for a second, and then flitted down to the stone floor of the cave. "Yes, of sorts." 

"What? That's impossible!" 

He shook his head. "Not entirely, considering who I am." 

"And who exactly are you, Aern?" She crossed her arms. 

"A Shwartzian." 

She let her arms drop, confused. "A what?" 

Aern sighed, and stared into the fire. "That's what I am: a Shwartzian. You come from Mid-Ocean, I come from Shwartzia. Please let me explain in a bit more detail. My people live, or at one time lived beneath the black moon." 

"But there isn't any black moon..." Aika narrowed her eyes shrewdly. "At least not anymore. I did see some black moonstones in the Dark Rift." 

"That's because the black moon used to be right over the Dark Rift. Actually, the Dark Rift is over Shwartzia. Thousands upon thousands of years ago, before the Rains of Destruction, my people created the Dark Rift to protect our land from the deadly Rains. We each have within us the power of the black moon. Look." He unbuttoned the front of his shirt to show her his bare chest. Beneath his pale skin, something glowed darkly. 

"What is that inside you?" Aika asked in wonder. 

"A black moon crystal. Each Shwartzian has one within him or her, just as Silvites each have a silver moon crystal inside of them. I'm sure Fina told you about that." 

"Yes...please, continue with your story." 

He re-buttoned his shirt. "We have limited power over the weather, because of our powers over gravity. I'm the one who caused the storm at Esparanza when I went there this morning. If I didn't, then I wouldn't of had any cover when I flew in to get supplies. People get startled when they see me." He smiled. "I hope you won't, however." 

"Trust me, after seeing a lot of the things I've seen, a flying man won't bother me in the least." She grinned at him. 

"Well, that's just it. I don't fly as a man, as you see me now. I have another form." He stood and started gathering his supplies to pack. "You see, both races that originally inhabited Arcadia have the ability to shapechange because of the crystals within them. Silvites at some point evolved to not do so anymore, but Shwartzians can still literally grow wings in order to fly about our world." He grinned at her. "I imagine you never knew that your people came from a different world." 

"Please, don't overload me with shocking and debatable information, Aern." Aika said with a pained expression. "I'm trying to still accept the fact that you can fly and cause storms." 

"One thing at a time, I suppose. You had best put that cloak on, since we'll be leaving soon." He set the packs down next to him, and reached up to unbutton his shirt. "And please turn your back." 

"What are you doing? Stripping?" 

"I said that I could shape shift. My clothing cannot, so if I do so while clothed I'll rip right out of them. Don't worry...my other form is very modest." 

"If you say so..." Aika shrugged, turning her back. The whole thing was strange, and yet a bit of it made sense at the same time. She now understood the reason why Aern could have rescued her, and why his apperance was so strange, and even what the black moonstones were doing at the center of the Dark Rift. Even so, it made her uncomfortable. There were so many things that went against the grain, especially this shapeshifting thing. 

"You may turn around now." Aern said. His voice was still deep, although it seemed to be less quiet than before and more low and resonant. 

Aika turned around to face Aern. And then she gasped in surprise. 

* * * 

For the most part, the Belleza was repaired. It had cost her famous captain quite a bit of money to get it repaired so quickly, but it was definately worth it. New sails billowed gently in the wind coming from the west; neatly coiled cotton and hemp ropes, made just months ago in Maramba, made up the new rigging. The paneling on deck was repaired as well, a few damaged boards replaced and the whole thing sanded and re-varnished. 

Vyse looked at the ship docked at the shipyard with a certain amount of pride. He still felt extremely lucky to have such an excellent sailboat, even when most captains preferred their ships to have Valuan design involving propellors. Without a doubt, the Belleza was one of the best ships out there, aside of her sister ship the Albatross II and the world-renowned Delphinus. The Belleza, however, had a certain grace and almost antique elegance that the Delphinus did not, and despite the fact that the Delphinus was considered the greatest ship in the world her captain always prefered the wooden decks of the Belleza. 

Fina came to stand next to him. "They did a good job repairing it, didn't they?" 

"They better have, it's costing me a fortune. We're going to have to double the raids for the next few months, once this black moon/Aika gone missing incident is taken care of. The last thing I want is to lose crew because I can't afford to feed them." 

The Silvite took his hand and patted it kindly. "Things will work out, they always do. If all else, we have friends in high places that will help us out financially." 

Gilder walked up to them, a bag of supplies slung over his shoulder. "Okay chief, this is it. Is there anything else we need to do here?" 

"Not really. Nobody has found any information on Aika here, so we may as well continue on to Yafutoma." 

"Are you sure about that?" Fina asked. "Don't we want to continue searching?" 

The captain of the Belleza looked down at the ground thoughtfully, almost sadly. "No, I don't think we do. We were seperated before, and fate brought us back together again. I have a feeling we'll see Aika again. She's not the kind that dies that easily." He looked up and over at Lani. "Besides, our scientist friend here needs her notes so we can solve this black moon mystery." 

"I do need my notes..." Lani agreed. "...but I'd like to add to them as well. While I was asking around for information on Aika, some people said they saw a strange creature flying about the area." 

"Describe it?" Vyse asked. 

"They say it was about man-sized, with the wings of a bat. It appeared to be black, but they couldn't see too well because of the storm last night. It's been snooping around the area for a bit now, so all sorts of stories about gargoyles and dragons have popped up." 

"The foreman at the repair yard here mentioned I'd better be careful of dragons." Vyse said. "Then again I told him we were heading through the Dark Rift, and people have all sorts of weird stories about that. I took it as standard sailor superstition." 

"Come on, Vyse." the blonde Silvite said, pulling at his arm. "We'd best leave before another storm tears our ship to pieces. I'd rather not spend any more time in Esparanza." 

* * * 

Their progress was slow, not only because they had to quarter the westerly wind, but also because they continued to watch the various chains of islands near the Dark Rift for any signs of Aika. Vyse chafed at their slow pace, irritated by the hindering winds and the slow rate they moved towards the Dark Rift. The storm was still just a smudge on the horizon. 

"We're moving too slow." he said, gripping the wheel. "I love sailboats, but they just don't move quickly headlong into the wind." 

"I hear ya." Gilder agreed. "At times I thought about upgrading the Claudia, but you just can't do that to a sailboat, it's almost cruel. Propellors belong on Valuan ships. We Mid-Ocean boys need our sails." 

"You won't see a single propellor on our ships, either." Lani added, glancing up from the maps she was looking at from the navigator station. Normally Aika was navigator. "Just because something is made an old way doesn't necissarily mean it's a bad thing. If you have a good design, why try to complicate it? I've always enjoyed the quiet of sails as opposed to the annoying whirring of propellor blades." 

"Yet when you get down to it, a ship is a ship." Fina said while feeding Cupil. The little animal had become very attentive since its mistress had pulled out small shards of red moonstones. After eating each one, its silver skin would ripple with shades of red, and then it would go back to its quicksilver appearance. 

"I wouldn't go that far, Fina." Gilder frowned. "Not all ships are alike." 

"I didn't say they were alike, Gilder, I said that a ship is a ship. All ships are designed more or less the same; it wouldn't be very aerodynamic to have a block-shaped ship." 

"Okay, you do have a point there...but I still don't think "a ship is a ship" is an accurate phrase." 

"Also look at it this way..." She offered the silver animal another bit of moonstone, who took it greedily. "All ships rely on moonstones to fly. There simply aren't anymore that use gasoline or other such fuels. Also, because all ships use moonstones, they all have the ability to hover. I know for a fact that centuries ago ships couldn't do that...they had to keep moving or else they'd fall." Fina scratched Cupil's chin, smiling. "Not only that, but every ship that uses moonstones has more or less a similar engine. They all have to output a certain amount of energy to defy gravity, and yet to not burn away the stones entirely. So all ships use moonstones, all ships can hover, all ships can defy gravity. Or, if you'd like to put it simply: a ship is a ship." 

Gilder opened his mouth to find something wrong with her argument, but then shut it again with a somewhat confused expression on his face. 

"She's got you." Vyse grinned. 

The red-clad pirate almost glared at Fina. "And when did you get so damn bright, anyway? You used to be so nice, cute, innocent and...uh..." 

"Dumb?" Fina offered. "That was never the case. I was a bit ignorant, but I was never dumb." She patted Cupil on the head, who was burbling contentedly at her. "Yes, I know, Cupil." 

"I never actually said that..." Gilder said a bit defensively. 

"No, but I know you, Gilder. For some reason you have it stuck in your testosterone-ridden brain that all blondes are airheads." She flickered her green eyes up to him. "I think we'll have to remedy that one day..." 

"It looks like we're getting good time now," Vyse stated, attempting to change the awkward conversation and hopefully head off an argument. "although it's hard to gauge distances in the cabin...the windows are fogging up from the cold air outside. Would one of you mind heading out there as lookout, at least until we're near the Rift? I don't want another storm sneaking up on us." 

"I'll go," Fina offered. "Gilder can take over my post since he said I was dumb." 

"I said that I never said that!" the red-clad pirate declared, a bit annoyed. "What do I know about the Belleza's engines, anyway?" he asked, and yet moved over to watch the various meters that were at the engineer's station. 

"Stop being lazy and just do it, Gilder. Fina, be sure you throw on something warm, it seems pretty cold out there." Vyse glanced at the Dark Rift looming in the distance. "We're far enough south that it may snow, even though it's early spring in the southern hemisphere." 

"Right." Fina exited the cabin with Cupil in tow. 

* * * 

"It's getting very cold...aren't you getting numb?" Despite the fact that she was wearing Aern's heavy dark blue cloak, she was shivering. She had pulled her goggles down over her eyes to keep the biting wind out of them. 

"It can't be helped, but I'll be fine. I've been through worse." came Aern's calm reply. 

"Yes, but you're...uh..." Aika didn't know how to put it delicately. 

"Naked?" the Shwartzian offered. "Yes, although I do have some fur so I'll be fine. Besides, it may be cold but at least it isn't snowing. I dislike travelling through snow. It gets in my eyes and in cakes in my fur." He paused. "You're shivering." 

"It can't be helped." she replied with a smirk. "Besides, I'm still getting used to this idea of being carried by a....uh...whatever you are." 

That was the best description she could come up with. Even though she had been riding for a while, carried in Aern's arms as he flew, she still couldn't exactly figure out what he resembled. When he claimed that he could fly and he grew wings, she pictured at first him as an angel with golden-white feathery wings. Then when he mentioned that he fully transformed, her suspicions on vampires began to grow again and the image of a large, disgusting vampire bat popped into her mind. She was not prepared for the truth, however. What stood before her after the transformation wasn't an angel or a vampire....but a tall, slender, dark gray creature, vaugely reptilian with large batlike wings and white fur covering various parts of its body. If it wasn't for the thick fur that covered his chest, groin and back, she would have said he looked like a cross between a human and a dragon. He had put his pack on between his shoulders, picked her up as if she weighed nothing with his clawed hands, and with a few quick strides had them airborne and out of the cave before she could say anything. 

Now they were gliding along the main chain of islands that ran from Esparanza to the Dark Rift, Aern's large wings skimming along on air currents that rose all the way from the fringe of deep sky. Ocasionally, he would dip his pinions to give them a bit of a lift, but most of his flying seemed to involve riding on convection currents. That is, until the temperature dropped as they got closer to the Rift. At that point it involved a bit more flapping and a lot less gliding. 

Aern blinked his purple, pupilless eyes at her, but his strange somewhat-reptilian face made it difficult for her to read his emotions. "I am what you see. Leave it at that." he said in respond to her general statement. 

"Okay, fair enough. How far behind them would you say we are?" 

"Well, if they truly went this way, then I would say within a few hours. I travel much faster than a sailboat, even when carrying someone." He grunted, a sound of displeasure. "Which I must say I'm not used to doing. You're not horribly heavy, Aika, but I still must put in a bit more effort when carrying you." 

Aika was going to retort, but then thought better of it. She decided that harassing the one thing that was holding her up and out of deep sky wasn't horribly wise. She instead wrapped the warm cloak more tightly around her, and watched as the chain of islands slid past them. 

* * * 

Fina shivered, despite the heavy wool cloak she wore over her blue overcoat. Vyse had warned her that it was cold out on deck, but it seemed as if the temperature had dropped even more since she stood out as lookout. She didn't climb up to the crow's nest, she knew the wind would be too bitter cold up there. Besides, she never exactly enjoyed high places. Being up on a ship or an island was one thing; climbing up a ladder when your fingers were numb from cold was another. 

Something poked her cheek, something soft yet cold. Fina brushed at it. "Not now, Cupil. I just fed you." She turned back to stern and continued looking ahead of the Belleza as part of her watch. 

The small quicksilver creature burbled and poked at her again with its long prehensile tail. Fina muttered something and gently pushed the animal aside, still only half-paying attention to it. Cupil gave a loud gurgle, began swooping in figure-eights over her head, and then redoubled its efforts when she made a grab for it. 

"Cupil! I don't understand what you can possibly want from me, Cupil. All I will say is that you're making me angry. Now stop...s--..stop it already! I'm trying to do what Vyse asked me to and you're--" She stopped short, noticing something past the wildly gyrating silver creature, something small that seemed to be catching up to them quickly. She peered at it, frowning. "Is that why you're acting funny? That...thing flying over there?" 

Cupil made a sound that Fina knew meant affirmative. The Silvite felt a bit guilty about dismissing the creature's behavior as nothing, but shoved that thought aside and hurried across the deck to the deckhouse, and slipped inside. 

"I just saw something out there." she reported to Vyse, who still stood at the wheel. "Cupil noticed it first, though. It's too small to be a ship, and it looks like it has wings." 

"Where did you see it?" he asked. 

"At approximately our five-o-clock position. I'd say it was only seven hundred yards away or so. I don't know what it was, though." 

Vyse brought the Belleza down to a hover, and looked at Fina. "You said it had wings...are you sure about that?" 

The Silvite nodded. "Yes, fairly sure. I have good eyes. Come with me, Vyse. I'll show you myself." 

"I wonder if it has anything to do with that monster people were seeing around Esparanza..." Gilder mused. 

"Possibly." Vyse replied. "I don't know if it's friendly or not, so ready cannons." 

"Vyse..." Fina retorted. 

"You know I wouldn't actually shoot it, Fina. I figure if it gets too pushy, we fire a few shots to scare it off. Most animals run off at the loud sounds cannons make. Show me what you saw, Fina. I'm starting to have some suspicions here." 

* * * 

"It's them! Hey, it's them!" Aika waved her arms excitedly with glee. 

"Careful, stop squirming! I'll drop you if you aren't still." Aern grunted, nearly dropping her. He tightened his grip on her, feeling perhaps not all that guilty when she winced from his claws digging into her skin. "I do think you're right. That looks like your ship, even though I cannot see the flag from here." 

"That's the Belleza, all right." she said confidently. "I'd know her anywhere. Speed up, Aern....I really want them to know that I'm all right." 

"And I really wish to speak to your friend, Fina. I never had the opportunity in Valua." He paused, the corners of his mouth turning down in a reptilian frown. "Aika...why are they coming around like that? I think I can see their cannons coming out." 

"That's nonsense...they wouldn't shoot at us. Vyse knows better than to shoot at living things." She squinted, lifting up her goggles from her eyes to look at the ship. "But..hey! They ARE getting their cannons out!" She started waving her arms again, this time taking care not to fall out of Aern's grasp. "Vyse you idiot, stop acting like we're a damn warship! Put your guns away you moron!" 

* * * 

"There, right there." Fina said, pointing to the west. "It's odd-looking...I can't exactly say what it is, although it definately is much closer." It had begun to snow at this point; lightly, but it still made visibilty worse. 

Vyse adjusted his skyseer patch, zooming in at the creature skimming at mid-sky level. It was dark gray in color with a long tail lashing out behind it, and wings that resembled a bat's. It also seemed to be carrying something with its front limbs that almost looked like a person. "It's carrying something..." he frowned, zooming in more. Getting the thing off in the distance into focus was difficult because of the snow. Though somewhat blurry, he could make out a red-headed figure waving its arms frantically, although it lacked its familar pigtails. "What the...hey. Hey! It's got Aika!" 

"What did you say?!" Fina demanded, grabbing onto his arm and shaking him. "Did you say it was carrying Aika? Is she okay?" 

The blue rogue laughed, jumping into the air with an excited whoop. "She's fine! I don't know what's with that creature, but Aika's fine! We did it, Fina, we found her!" 

Lani hurried out onto the deck to see the two pirates dancing about in a strange little dance of glee, despite the slippery snow. "Uh, some good news, I take it?" 

"Lani, we've found Aika! Go tell Gilder to withdraw cannons and close bay doors, we don't want to shoot at her now that we've found her." 

* * * 

"I hate snow." Aern grumbled as the closed in on the Belleza. "I'll be dripping wet not to mention half-frozen by the time we get inside." 

"Stop complaining and go faster...I'll make you all the tea you can drink when we get below decks." She laughed. "I can see them! There's Vyse and Fina and they're....dancing?" 

"They appear happy to see you. Oh, since we're within shouting range I suggest you tell them not to be alarmed by me. If I start speaking it may startle them a bit." 

"You gotcha." She cleared her throat and cupped a hand to her mouth. "Vyse, Fina, long time no see!" 

"You're acting pretty damn casual, Aika!" Vyse shouted back with a laugh. "Who's your chauffer? Dracula?" 

"This is Aern, he's a good guy so don't worry about him! Just let him land and don't attack him, okay?" They were getting closer, so the shouted conversation decreased in volume as it went on. 

"Right!" came Vyse's response. 

Aern flapped his snow-dusted wings and rose up above the Belleza. He circled once, and settled down to the deck with a flurry of wings. Almost before he could finish landing, Aika had jumped out of his arms and flung herself at her best friend. 

"Vyseohmygodyoushouldaseenwhathappened! I fell and I fainted but then Aern caught me I guess so now I'm okay but I was still worried about you!" she said excitedly. 

"I thought you were dead, Aika! I saw you fall and then I thought that was the end of you, but I should've known better...." he spoke just as rapidly as she did, at approximately the same time. Fina threw her arms around the two of them, laughing and crying all at once, too overjoyed to say much. Lani and Gilder had come up on deck as well, the two of them stood with smiles on their faces. 

"Aren't you glad to see her too, Gilder?" Lani asked. 

"Uh...I don't do the group hug thing. Let the kids rant for a few more minutes and then we'll untangle them and drag them inside out of the snow." He took a puff off a cigarette and blew a smoke ring, which disintigrated quickly from the falling snow. "This scene is so sweet it's making my stomach hurt." 

"Not an emotional man, I take it?" the Yafutoman said with a small grin. 

"Not entirely, no." He glanced at Aern a bit nervously. "And that thing standing there is setting me off anyway." 

The Shwartzian shook his wings to shed the snow off them, but said nothing in reply to Gilder's comment. 

"So anyway.." Aika said. "Aern picked me up after I fell overboard. He was following the Belleza because he says he needs to talk to Fina. He's a Shwartzian, or so he says. He's the guy that Fina and I saw at the party, although it's pretty obvious he can transform into something else. We would've found you sooner, but it took me a while of asking around in Esparanza to figure out which route you took." 

Vyse loosened himself from Aika's embrace, and turned to look at the tall creature that stood on the Belleza's deck. "So you're the guy who saved Aika. I can't tell you thanks enough." 

"My pleasure." rumbled Aern. "We were just fortunate enough that I happened to be fairly close to your ship when she fell." He then flicked his long tail and crossed his arms, a gesture that at first seemed intimidating, but then it became obvious that the winged creature was shivering. "Aika...about that tea you promised..." 

"Oh yeah...can everybody go inside? Aern needs to change back, and he's well...sorta naked." 

"Naked?" Vyse raised an eyebrow. "Aika, what in the world were you up to when you were missing?" 

"Get your mind of of the gutter, you big dork." She snapped, cuffing him on the back of the head. Then she blinked when he reacted to a blow that should not have hurt at all. "Did you hit your head or something?" 

"Yeah, or something. Give Aern your cloak so he's not completely naked when he turns human, and let's get inside. It's getting chilly out here." 


	10. Chapter 9 -- Aern's Story

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 9 

** CHAPTER NINE  
Aern's Story**

They sat in the dining hall of the Belleza, if it could be called a "hall". It wasn't massive like the dining hall on the Delphinus; it was more of a "dining room" than anything else. It was a comfortable room, with the table, shelves and benches bolted down to prevent them from sliding around during voyages. Yellow moonstone-powered lights hung above the long table, although they were partially covered with colored glass lampshades to give a pleasing look that couldn't be accomplished by bare lightbulbs. 

Aern sat on one side of the table, drinking a warm cup of tea that Fina had made for him. The Shwartzian was now dressed in his standard blue, black and gray clothing, although his hair was still damp from the snow. He had the purple-black tresses tied back into a ponytail, except for those few annoying pieces of hair that wouldn't stay back and always seemed to fall in or near his face. 

"You make a fine cup of tea, Fina." he said politely. It seemed that everything he did was polite. 

"Well I had to do something for you." the Silvite responded. She was seated on one side of Aika, and Vyse on the other. Lani and Gilder sat across the table from them with Aern. "You seemed so cold outside that as soon as I came in, I knew that you needed something hot to drink." She blushed. "Standing naked in the snow can't be horribly fun." 

He smiled. "Not fun, yet necessary. I had to get Aika back to you, as well I had to come and speak to you, Fina. Although I am sure that Vyse will want to hear this as well." 

"I sure do." the scarred blue rogue said. "Aika tried explaining, but it didn't make a whole lot of sense. I want the story, Aern...all of it. The Black Moon, who you are, where you come from, why you turn into a gargoyle thing, and why you need to find Fina." 

The scarlet-eyed young man set down his mug of tea and sighed. "Yes, but where can I begin?" He frowned, appearing to think for a moment, and then looked at the three young pirates across the table. "First of all, I must say that I speak on behalf of my people. Think of this almost as a diplomatic situation, if you will. Shwartzia wishes to be part of the world again, or so I believe. 

"Well past ten thousand years ago, past twenty thousand years ago, past what your historians keep on record, two races lived on the planet Arcadia: the Silvites, and the Shwartzians. Each had the magical ability to shapeshift in order to fly through the skies between the continents and countless islands. There apparently was a time when the clouds of Deep Sky were not as thick, and we lived upon the surface of our planet...but as our world changed, we changed as well. We mainly lived beneath the Silver and the Black moons, at opposite sides of the planet. The Silver moon was and still is over where Soltis once was. The Black moon was over where the Dark Rift stands today. 

"Eventually the Silvites evolved, learning how to sail the skies and no longer needing to shapeshift in order to travel. We, however, continued living in simple ways and thus continued using our shapeshifting abilities. Then one day, nearly twenty thousand years ago, the visitors came. 

"They came on great ships, made of strange metal we had never seen before. These ships were sleek, large and appeared to be able to travel through outer space itself at great speeds. Their technology seemed extremely advanced, obviously. Many were confused by these newcomers, but many others welcomed them regardless of their strange appearance and odd language. 

"These were the first humans to visit Arcadia." He looked at Fina. "No, we aren't exactly human, you and I. Not like Vyse, Aika, Lani...not like the descendants of those who came in those ships that day." 

"But we look the same..." Fina retorted. "There have even been stories of Silvites intermarrying and having children with races that lived beneath different moons." 

"That is true...we are very similar in many ways...biologically similar, yes. Magically similar, no. Humans don't have the innate ability to use magic, at least not anymore. I am sure Aika could cast a pre-memorized spell, but humans didn't invent those spells: Silvites and Shwartzians did. Humans had the ability to naturally cast magic at one time, but they don't anymore...not without using a spell that they didn't create themselves." 

He sighed, sipped his tea and shook his head. "But that doesn't matter. The point is, when humans came here, they were fascinated by our magic. Likewise, we were fascinated by their technology. Over the next few thousands of years, we helped each other. They showed us their technology and helped us build great cities, fast ships and other scientific advancements. We showed them our magic and helped them settle beneath the remaining five moons. 

"The people beneath the Yellow, claiming they had come from "Yurope", became the first to be advanced. They were excellent craftsmen as well as mechanics, and soon had harnessed the power of yellow moonstones. For this we were glad, because it provided us a means of acquiring electrical power without burning things such as coal. 

"Those who settled under the Green moon were next, they claiming that they came from South..." he frowned, trying to remember. "I'm sorry, it's just been so long since I learned this history lesson. I'm not a scholar or anything. I believe it was something like "South Emereca". Anyway, they still remembered their old world, and how their ancestors were driven from it by some event in their solar system. They turned their eyes to the heavens to watch and study the stars, in hopes to make sure the same thing would not happen to their new home of Arcadia." 

He paused to look at them all. "Are you with me so far?" 

"Right up with you." Vyse said. "So you say they came from different worlds? Huh, so my great-great-great grandfather came from another planet..." 

"Yes." said Aern. "But only one planet, not multiple ones. "Yurope", "South Emereca" and others like "Aysa", "North Emereca" and "Afreca" were all countries on another world. People from "Aysa" settled beneath the Blue moon, but decided to live like we Shwartzians do and tied their lives in with nature. They were great poets, musicians and artists. That stands true for Yafutomans today. 

"The Red lands were settled by people from "Afreca", although their numbers were smaller than the other groups. I think that many people from that country must of perished before they could flee the planet. Still, the population has obviously grown, and now Nasr is the economic giant of the world, just as it was back then. 

"Lastly, people from "North Emereca" settled beneath the cold Purple moon. They didn't mind it, though; when they had initially settled, the Purple moon was farther south, directly over the south pole and not as close to Glacia as it is today. Its orbit was farther away from the planet as well. They devoted their time to knowledge and magic, working together with the Silvites to integrate learning and magic into everyday life." 

He paused to sip his tea. Then he continued. 

"Centuries passed. Centuries turned to millennia. The various races of Arcadia became further and further advanced, as well as more egotistical. Soon it wasn't enough to better themselves, as the Silvites and the Shwartzians did. They had to start "cold wars", wars that weren't fought with battles and ships, but rather with knowledge and technological advances. Both my people and the Silvites saw this, and became worried. While the Silvites decided to dispatch ships to monitor the progress of each civilization, the Shwartzians had ideas of their own. 

"It was out of fear, out of want of protection...not out of malice or wanting to crush other civilizations. My ancestors never wanted to do anything but protect our home from the other countries, in case they grew too zealous. This is why we created a great being, in the image of ourselves, with the power of a thousand black moonstones; only a black moon crystal could control it. We had created Mortian, the first Gigas." 

Vyse interrupted. "So wait a minute, you mean to tell me that those stupid wars started because your people created the first Gigas?" 

"Yes and no." Aern sighed. "Once Mortian was created, my people did in fact show him to the Silvites to ensure them that if they needed our help, we would use Mortian to defend their continent of Soltis as well. After that, we put Mortian to rest below our lands, and vowed not to use him unless absolutely necessary." 

Aern folded his hands on the table in front of them, and looked at them thoughtfully, bowing his head a bit. "But no grand idea can stay good nor innocent for long. Soon the other civilizations had found out what we had done, and they each created their own Gigas. After that, they started great terrible wars with them. I'm sure you all know that history lesson." 

"We know something about it." Aika said dryly. "Go on, Aern." 

"Afraid of the wars, my people utilized their powers of gravity and caused Shwartzia to sink down, nearly to Deep Sky, and then formed a great storm over it. None could pass through the storm to reach us, even as none can get through the Dark Rift in order to get to us today...not without a Shwartzian to guide them, anyway. The Shwartzian people were upset by this...hiding in the dark, away from the sun. I myself remember that I missed seeing the sky, and the rain. I was seven at the time." 

"Woah, hold up." Vyse interjected again. "Just how old are you?" 

"Physically, I'd say I'm about twenty. But realistically, because of some circumstances, I'm well over ten thousand years old." 

They all started at him in awe. "Even the Silvite elders, who had lived over a thousand years, were old and frail at the end of their life span." Fina said. "Why is it you're not?" 

"I'll get to that in a moment, since it's part of my story." He looked at his empty mug. "May I have more tea?" 

Aika wordlessly stood up, took the teapot from the stove and poured him another cup. Then she sat down and looked across the table at him anxiously, obviously wanting him to get on with his story. 

"I'm sorry, it's just that so much talking makes me thirsty." Aern took a gulp of tea, which wasn't quite as hot anymore. "That's better. As I was saying, we Shwartzians hid ourselves beneath a great storm. This is the only reason we were not harmed by what would come in the next few months. The Silvites saw the wars and were outright disgusted by them. They created their own Gigas, Zelos, and by utilizing the powers of this monster they caused moonstones to hail down upon the surface of the planet. The Silvites then fled to a haven they created high above Arcadia, the Great Silver Shrine. That left us with the tattered remains of the five other civilizations to worry about. 

"You see, since a magical barrier was over a section of Soltis where the Silvites were gathered, they weren't harmed by the Rains. The same stands true for Shwartzia: the Dark Rift protected us from the Rains, since the winds of our storm were so strong nothing could penetrate them. Naturally, the other civilizations were chagrined. Not so much the people beneath the Green and Blue, but more the Yellow and the Purple. For a while, the Yellow people tried to get to our continent through our storm, but to no avail. The Purple decided to try an indirect manner, although no one was prepared for it. 

"Many of the civilizations still possessed the ships their ancestors had arrived to Arcadia in. The Glacians were no exception, and they decided to use one of their aircrafts against us. Instead of aiming it at the Dark Rift, they sent a suicide crew with it and flew it straight at our moon, in hopes of destroying it. The Black moon wasn't entirely destroyed, but instead knocked out of orbit. Because of its strange gravitational powers, it immediately adjusted somehow, and used the Purple moon as a counterweight of sorts. The Purple moon was driven northwards and directly over Glacia. The Black moon slid behind the larger Purple moon, and was lost from our sight forever. 

"This devastated my people. They had always relied on the power of the Black moon to protect them, even though they now had the Dark Rift above them. This is why not long after our moon's displacement, the Council declared that all citizens of Shwartzia would put themselves into a deep sleep. Black moon crystals not only have power over gravity, but over time. We used this to literally seal ourselves in time. This is why I'm over ten thousand years old; I was one of the people that did this, although I was only ten at the time. 

"There was a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, however; our scientists estimated that every eight hundred years or so the Black moon would slide out from behind the Purple and pass over the land of Shwartzia, if briefly. We didn't estimate how long we would sleep, but we knew that eventually some of us would wake up. Although for many, waking up means death." He turned to look at Fina with his crimson-colored eyes. "This is why I need a Silvite. I awoke some ten years ago, along with a few others, and found the painful truth of the matter: without the powers of a Silver moon crystal, most of my people will not wake up. We only seem to awaken when the Black moon begins its movement to the northeast, and then those who wake up are children. For some reason, when adults awaken, they age rapidly within days and then pass away...as if the time they spent in hibernation catches up to them. We have yet to have somebody awaken over the age of thirteen that lives." 

"That's horrible..." Aika said. "But do those kids at least grow up?" 

"Of course." Aern replied. "They grow normally, as if they weren't frozen in time. Sadly, though, as a side effect all Shwartzian women are barren. This brings a terrible realization to light..." He turned to look at Fina again. "...if we do not get a Silvite to heal them, then we will die out." 

He reached across the table to take her hand in his. "Please, Fina....I implore you: help me. Help my people. I'm afraid that if you do not help, then nothing can save my people. This is the last pass of the Black moon before the last of the children awaken. After that, our hope is gone, and none will live after awakening. Please, help us." 

Fina held one hand to her chest, tears glistening in her eyes. She had no idea that this was why Aern was following her around for....who knows how long. "I will help you, Aern." she said finally. "I can't let an entire race die out. If I am the last Silvite, and the last one who has the power to restore your people, then I will do anything I can to help." 

Aern's cool exterior seemed to shatter, and he started to tremble. "Thank you, you have no idea what this means to me." he said in a broken voice. "I was afraid that I would fail, that there was no hope for my family, my friends...my people. But you said that you would help, and that brightens my spirits so much." 

"Hey, Fina's not the only other person who wants to help." Aika said. "You helped me so naturally I want to help you out. You seem like a good person, Aern, and I'm sure that none of us really want to let you down." 

Vyse nodded in agreement. "That's about the size of it. True blue rogues never turn away a person in need, especially somebody with a problem as big as yours. We'll help you no matter what, Aern....and I think we all would of helped even if you didn't rescue Aika. You have my word that we'll do everything we can to help." 

The Shwartzian seemed almost in shock. "Your good intentions and willingness to help a total stranger completely surprises me. I didn't know that people could be so kind....from what I've seen so far, the humans in the modern world are selfish and sometimes cruel." 

"A few bad apples can spoil a whole bushel." Gilder put in. "You probably only saw the jerks of the world and not the nice guys. Trust me, there's some decent folk around. Hell, you're sitting with five of them right now." 

"I can see that now." Aern said with a warm smile, glancing around at them. "If I can find any way to repay you..." 

Vyse held up a hand. "Don't bother. Things like goodwill aren't something you exchange or trade off. You do things for people because you want to, not out of obligation. At least that's the way we look at it." His companions nodded in agreement. "Okay, now that it's settled...where do we start? You know more than any of us do, Aern." 

"Yes, tell us please." Fina said. "If I'm to help you, I need to know exactly what you need." 

"Well..." Aern frowned, drumming his long fingers on the tabletop. "I should tell you about the two I was traveling with. No, about my society a bit and then about my two friends..." He looked up at them. "In Shwartzia, there are different castes. There are farmers, hunters, scholars....classes you have beneath your moons as well. We have classes that are places of honor, almost....more like small groups of knights that have been around since the cold wars began thousands of years ago. These groups are called "Protectorates". Protectorates generally consist of three people: Warriors, Sages and Clerics. The three have different abilities that counter-balance each other, yet unite the group through their unique talents and cooperation. 

"A Warrior's job is fairly obvious: they are the fighter for the group, even if they aren't the physically strongest. A Warrior's body is in top condition, and they can use it as a weapon. Warriors always fight unarmed, and yet are more powerful than men with swords or other such weapons. A Warrior can be male or female, and through years of rigorous training of mind and body, they attune themselves to properly fight: to fight, but not through maliciousness; to defend, but not to maim; to aid the others in the Protectorate and yet not hinder them. 

"Sages are even more complex than Warriors, since they are the brains of a Protectorate. Sages are not only highly intelligent, but are well-versed in the arts, history, sociology, linguistics and science. Sages generally have photographic memories, and can recall things they have seen or heard of many years after experiencing them. It's the Sage's job to guide the Protectorate, to decide what their actions will be for the most part, even if he or she isn't the designated leader. Sages are held in high regard in Shwartzia, and many eventually move on to be Senators in the Council that governs our society. 

"Clerics are the last, although not the least. What a Cleric does is more than just heal wounds or study medicine: Clerics study the physiology of both the body and mind. A Cleric can not only heal physical wounds, but they can even cure damage done to a body's soul to some degree...or at least they're supposed to." 

"What do you mean, "supposed to"?" Aika asked. 

Aern looked at her, and then looked at his hands folded on the table. "I'm the Cleric of my Protectorate....but I have yet to exactly figure out how to heal a soul. I do know how to soothe people emotionally and mentally....yet still I'm not absolutely sure how to cure somebody from madness, or how to help somebody who's in magical shock. Magical shock is what happens when somebody uses too much natural magic, and literally drains their soul of its energy." He sighed. "I'm only versed in medicine, psychology, herbology and magical healing." 

"Yeah, but those are still great things to know. Seriously, no wonder I'm in great shape." Aika grinned. "I had this great healer helping me out and I never knew it." 

The Shwartzian nodded. "Yes, I admit that if I wasn't taking care of you, you'd probably still be in shock and partially unconscious. You were in quite a state when I picked you up." He sighed, and shook his head. "But that's all water under the bridge, now. What I need to do is find the other two members of my Protectorate: Gaed our Sage, and Eleah our Warrior. Our Protectorate is close, but for more than one reason: Gaed is my best friend, and Eleah is my sister." He smiled. "Although I admit they'll be a bit annoyed with me when they realize I found a Silvite before they managed to do so." 

Fina smiled as well. "Where are they now?" 

"As for my sister, I don't know. She comes and she goes as she pleases...she's always been sort of flighty. The last time I saw Gaed, it was months ago....when Soltis had risen up into the sky. He said he wanted to look through the ruins of Soltis and see if any Silvites put themselves into a sleep the same way we did. He had some sort of theory on that, but I don't exactly remember what. Once the Great Silver Shrine crashed into the barrier guarding Soltis, Gaed flew in through the main tower in hopes of finding any Silvites. That's the last I saw of him, and we all know where Soltis is now." 

"Back down in Deep Sky..." Vyse muttered. "Great." 

"I know, it sounds like Gaed is lost forever...but I would know if he was dead. There's sort of a spiritual connection between the members of a Protectorate, and when one dies, the other two feel it almost physically. He's still alive, I know it." 

"Well then our objective should be to head into Deep Sky and to Soltis...which means we need the Delphinus." Vyse glanced up at the clock on the wall. "It's already midafternoon, so if we start moving now we can make it around Cape Victory and into Nasr airspace before we need to stop for the night." He made a rueful face. "We'll have to go through a few rifts again, since we can't go through any reefs. It'll take several days of zigzagging to get back to Crescent Isle. I kinda wish we could fly above the clouds with the Belleza." 

"We could, probably." Fina said. "Hans and myself did modify the engine to give it a more Yafutoman design....but I already know what you're thinking: it's too rough and windy in the higher altitudes, right?" 

"Right. I just had our rigging and masts repaired, I'd rather not have to do that again." 

"I'll take care of the winds." Aern said calmly. 

The scarred blue-rogue glanced at him with a quizzical frown. "Excuse me?" 

"I said, I'll take care of the winds. I already told you that Shwartzians have control over the weather to some degree, so I can make the area around us calm enough to sail above the Upper Sky cloud fringe. Your ship will be safe." 

"That'd be great, Aern. We'll save a lot of time that way, and be able to search for your friend a lot sooner." Vyse turned to Lani. "Sorry if we're putting off your trip to Yafutoma right now...we could always drop you off at Esparanza and give you money for passage on another ship if you want." 

"Are you kidding me? You couldn't pull me off this ship for all the world. I'll make new notes, even better notes now that I have a citizen of the Black moon right here." She smiled. "That is, if Aern doesn't mind." 

"Not at all. I'm glad that some are taking an interest in the civilization that was forgotten." He stood. "I'll be up on deck. I do suggest heading a bit north before we rise above the clouds, though. I can adjust the winds slightly, but snow clouds are heavy, and trying to move them around would seriously tire me out. Besides, seriously altering the weather can have dire consequences." 

"That makes sense." Vyse stood and leaned forward on the table, glancing around at them. "All right, everybody to their stations. We're leaving ASAP...destination, Crescent Isle." 

* * * 

The snow was falling thickly as Aika made her way out onto deck. She had spent the past hour or so at her post on the bridge, but there was little need for her to function as navigator when they weren't dodging islands or trying to exactly figure out where they were. She instead was carrying a mug of tea out to Aern, at Lani's prompting. Aika was fairly pleased with not only the reunion of her and her friends, but at their reactions to Aern. All of them seemed to be taking to the Shwartzian well, as she knew they would. 

Then again, it seemed impossible not to like the tall, pale man with odd red eyes, just as it seemed impossible not to like a certain scarred blue rogue captain. There was a certain charisma there that made either of them extremely likable. Perhaps it had something to do with both of them being gentlemen, and both were fairly polite to others, even people they didn't know. 

The redhead mused about this as she walked over the snow-slickened wood of the deck and over to the tall figure standing at the bow. The snow was clinging to the ropes of the rigging as well to Aern's purple-black hair and dark cloak, but despite the fact that he was accumulating snow as much as the railing was, he didn't seem to mind. Even before she could say anything, he glanced over at her, already knowing she was there. 

"Hello, Aika." 

"Hey, Aern. How are you doing?" She stood at the rail next to him, not to far from where she had been flung from the Belleza three days prior. 

"I'm cold." he said bluntly. "Yet, I don't exactly mind." His red eyes flickered up to the softly falling white flakes that drifted down from the sky, his face taking on an expression of almost childlike wonder. "Do you know how long it's been since I've seen snow?" 

"Probably not for a long time, judging by your story. Tea? Lani thought you should have some." She offered him the mug. 

"Thank you." He took it gratefully, wrapping his hands around it to keep them warm. "We used to get snow over Shwartzia when I was a child....plenty of is as well. But after the Dark Rift was formed, we had no precipitation....only fog." 

"Where I come from, we don't get snow that often. Pirate Isle isn't too far south of the equator, so we only would get snow in the very middle of winter. And now that I'm living at Crescent Isle, I don't see any." She sighed. "I guess I miss it too, even if it is cold." Then she smiled, holding out a hand to catch snowflakes. "I used to come up with all sorts of funny reasons why snow fell...fairies sprinkled it down from their houses in the clouds, or Mur touched rainclouds and with her power made them snowclouds." 

"Mur?" 

"The goddess of ice." Aika replied. "She lives on the Purple moon in a castle made of ice, and she has huge gardens of flowers made of ice crystals growing all over her lands." She laughed. "I know...it's just mythology, but I was a kid...and kids are more apt to believe in those things." 

"It never hurts to have faith in something, whether it's gods or fairies or dragons. I always thought that thunderstorms were caused by two big dragons fighting in the clouds." He laughed his pleasant-sounding laugh. "Well....at least I thought so when I was six." 

Aika sighed, and brushed the snow off the rail to lean her arms on it. "And then you grow up and find the real reasons behind things...and then they're not as fun anymore." 

"I wouldn't say that. I'm over ten thousand years old, and here I am...smiling like an idiot because it's snowing on me. I know the scientific reason behind snow, but that doesn't stop me from liking it." He sipped his tea. "I've realized that if you don't enjoy small things, then you don't enjoy anything." 

"I wish Vyse thought that way." the redhead grunted. "He's always looking at big things...but never the small. Fina and myself have been trying for the past year to get him to stop and look at the little things in our lives that make us happy." 

"I'm sure he knows...he is a captain of a ship, after all." He brushed snow from his hair and eyelashes with a laugh. "I'm turning into a sno-cone here. You had best go below, Aika...it's very cold." 

"Nah, I'm fine. Besides, I like to talk. It's nice having somebody new to talk to...er, if you don't mind." 

He smiled. "Not at all. I like having company...after all, I've been alone since Gaed, Eleah and myself parted a few months ago." 

"Being alone sucks....but hey, you don't have to worry about that. I think that even after you find your Protectorate, we'll still hang out with you. Nothing wrong with having friends, right?" 

Aern smirked at her, and then glanced up at the falling snow. "No. Nothing wrong with it at all." 


	11. Chapter 10 -- Some Things Nobody Expects

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 10 

** CHAPTER TEN  
Some Things Nobody Expects**

"It's almost uncanny..." Vyse was saying. "Look at how the clouds are..." 

"Aern said he would do this....so I wouldn't act so surprised." Fina said calmly. "You do have to admit it's a bit amazing, though..." 

"Amazing? Fina, I've never seen anything like it." He glanced left and right at the clouds on either side of them. "It's as if he's cutting a channel through the clouds for us." 

"He's just increased the air pressure around the Delphinus." Gilder said. "It's not that hard to understand." 

"I know how he does it...but that still doesn't change the fact that it amazes me." He grinned. "Although I shouldn't care how he does it....we're making good time and will be over the rift and near Nasrad in no time." Vyse looked ahead to where Lani and Aika stood with the Swartzian at the bow of the ship. "Those two seem to really get along with him, too....especially Aika." 

"He's extremely likeable, Vyse." the Silvite commented. "I think Lani is interested in him for more of a social and scientific reason, though. Aika just wants to make yet another friend." She sighed. "She's always doing that...whenever we meet somebody new, she talks to them a lot." 

"Aika likes to talk." The blue rouge captain grunted. "Sometimes a bit too much....but it's not harming anything. She's helping Aern feel more comfortable around us, I think. I'm sure he appreciates the friendly atmosphere she's creating." 

"We're past the reef, Vyse." Aika's voice said through the talk-tube. "We just passed over the last of the rocks, so I think it's safe to descend. Besides, Aern is getting tired." 

"I'm fine, Aika..." came a faint complaint, the accented voice obviously belonging to the Shwartzian. 

"Both Lani and I think you need a rest....you've been doing this since this morning." Aika replied, her voice sounding small and distant since she wasn't talking directly into the tube. 

"Aika, Lani, Aern...the three of you come inside for a while." Vyse spoke loudly into the tube. "We'll be passing over the desert, and the sun can be a real killer." 

"Aye, aye." came Aika's reply, and Vyse could see the three of them make their way towards the deckhouse. He waited until they were on bridge before he brought the Belleza back down to middle sky level. They continued on over the desert until they came to South Dannel Strait, and came into the Bay of Nasrad. 

"Do we need anything in Nasrad?" Vyse asked his companions. 

"We're good on fuel." Fina said. "And I'm sure whatever supplies we have will last us until we get to Crescent Isle." 

"I figured, but it never hurts to ask. We'll just continue here on to Crescent Isle without stopping." 

"What an oddly-colored ship..." Aern murmured, looking through the portside windows of the bridge. 

"Nasrians always seem to have gaudy-colored ships." Vyse said, not glancing over. "I think they're ugly, so I don't bother with all that yellow and red and brown." 

"That's not the colors of this ship....and it seems to be following us." Aern frowned, crossing his arms and looking at the ship that was at their eight o' clock position. "I don't like this..." 

"...I don't either." Gilder said, looking out the windows with Aern. "That kind of reminds me of Clara's ship....except it's white and purple, not pink. Still, there's something about it that makes me want to run and hide." 

"So it's not Clara?" Aika asked. 

"No, it's not Clara. If it was Clara, she would of shot at us already...but only if she knew I was on board. I doubt she knows I'm on the Belleza." He turned. "Vyse, try to outrun 'em. Don't let that creepy thing catch up with us." 

"You don't have to tell me twice." the scarred young man said, quickly turning to starboard. 

"Uh, they're still following us..." Aika pressed her face against the window. "I can see their flag sort of, but it's not anything I recognize." She turned back to Aern. "I wonder if this is something Gilder was talking about last week in Valua..." 

"Let's not go there, Aika." Vyse interjected. "If they want to chase me, then let's give them a challange." 

Unfortunately, the purple ship seemed to be much faster than the Belleza, even though Vyse's ship wasn't nessicarily slow. Fairly soon it was straight to port, and began to move into boarding position. Vyse shied to the right, but the other ship skipped over quickly and moved into boarding position again. 

"They're damn persistant, aren't they?" Gilder peered through the windows at the other ship. "Uh-oh....they're signaling us..."Hold still...V-Y-S" ...okay, they're asking you to hold still, Vyse. "..we can't catch...you this way.."." The tall pirate removed his smoked glasses and pinched at the bridge of his nose. "Ugh....they know who you are." 

"So? A lot of people know who I am...it has something to do with that saving the world thing." 

"Yeah, but the person who was signaling us was Belle. I think you're in for some trouble." 

Vyse brought the Belleza to a halt, and sighed. "Fine...maybe if I talk to them they'll cut it out. They're reasonable girls....a bit flakey at times, but they were good people while they were in my crew. They can't really be taking after Clara....uh, right?" 

"It's your hide, my friend. Talk to them if you want, but I think all you get out of this is embarassment." 

Aern nudged Aika. "What exactly is happening? Does Vyse have some female stalkers?" 

"Seems that way, doesn't it?" the redhead grinned. "I think this is gonna be pretty damn funny." 

Vyse seemed less sure of himself as he walked up onto deck with his two female companions, having given Gilder the order to pull away from the other ship at a moment's notice. He looked across the way at the two young women on the white-painted deck of the disgustingly femanine ship. One was fairly short, wearing a pink dress that only seemed to make her large bosom seem bigger, a black beret and white boots. The other had dark hair, wore a long light blue trenchcoat, and a small skirt and top. Both outfits seemed to involve quite a bit of lace. The two of them were grinning at him openly. 

"Care to explain yourselves?" Vyse demanded, walking up to the rail. 

"Greetings, Cap'n Vyse!" Belle giggled, doffing her beret to him. "We're here on orders from Nara, captain of the Verge." 

"And what orders would those be?" Vyse asked, a small amount of chargrin in his voice. 

"By order of our captain, you, Captain Vyse of the Delphinus and the Belleza, are now property of the Rose Rogues, and therefore property of Cap'n Nara." Despite her light grin, Lilly seemed dead serious about this statement. 

"Funny, I can't say that I recognize the Rose Rogues, and if the captain of one group of pirates doesn't officially regonize another group, then all claims made by the second party are null and void." 

Belle blinked stupidly, and turned to Lilly. "Uh...Lilly, is that true? Can he just say "well I don't think you're really pirates" and leave?" 

"Of course not, stupid. He's just trying to make an excuse so he can escape." The voice came from a brown-haired girl with glasses that made her way up onto deck. It was Nara. 

"She seems...different." Aika said. 

"In a sort of scary way..." Fina added. 

Nara put her hands on her hips and smirked. She wore white leather breeches, a long pink overcoat, a black cloak and had a set of guns holstered at her waist. Her dark brown hair was still held back in twin braids, however. "Now, be reasonable Vyse...we both know each other." 

"Uh, do we? You seem....different." he replied, echoing Aika's comment. 

"Not just different, but my eyes have been opened to the world. Clara had a good idea going, and I think that others should follow in her footsteps. That's why I created the Rose Rogues: a group of female air pirates that sail the skies in search of their true loves." 

"Well isn't that sweet." Fina giggled. "Look, somebody loves you, Vyse." 

"Quiet, Fina." he murmured. "That's nice, Nara....but we're in a hurry. If you see Clara, tell her I say hello." He turned to Aika. "Give Gilder the signal, we're outta here." 

"Not so fast, Vyse..." A clicking sound came from Nara. Slowly Vyse turned to find that he was staring down the barrels of the rose rogue's guns. "You're not going anywhere...and I have a few questions for you." 

He sighed. "You've gotta be kidding me..." 

"Dead serious, sweetie. First off....when's your birthday? Isn't it in springtime?" 

"Late winter." Vyse corrected. 

Nara giggled and waggled her hips in a taunting manner. "Woo, that's great! So you're a Sagittarius...which fits PERFECTLY for my sign." 

Vyse groaned. "That's....nice. Are you done pointing guns at my head or can I go now?" 

"Not quite. I need to see if you've been filling out nicely. Can you take off your coat, maybe even your shirt?" 

"Absolutely not!" the blue rogue growled. "My clothing's staying on my body, thanks." 

"Oh, fine....be that way. I'll find out sooner or later." The other two girls giggled at this comment. "Hmm...and along those lines...what kind of lover are you?" 

"_Excuse me?! _ You want to know _what?!_" Vyse's expression was one of disgruntled shock. 

"Don't be coy, Vyse. You know what I mean: sex. C'mon....are you good or not?" She looked over at Fina and Aika, who were laughing uncontrollably. "You two think it's funny?" 

"Well...duh...." Aika chortled. "C'mon, this is Vyse we're talking about. Stop asking him stupid questions, Nara. He's not gonna answer you. I doubt he could, anyway." She added with an impish grin. Next to her, Vyse clapped a hand over his eyes, beet red in the face. 

Nara thoughtfully tapped one of her guns against her cheek, while still holding the other leveled at the blue rogues. "Hmm...then this poses a small problem. I need to know details..." 

At this point, Aern wandered up onto deck. "Vyse, Gilder wants to know why you haven't come back to the bridge." He turned to the crew aboard the Verge and nodded politely. "Ladies,". 

"Aern...don't trust 'em. Don't even look at 'em....they're vicious cruel women that like to ask sexual questions." Vyse was still a bit red in the face as he turned to Nara. "Questions that are NOBODY'S business but mine!" 

The Shwartzian laughed, his normally pleasant laugh sounding somwhat mocking to Vyse. "Oh please...why would they ask such personal questions? They're just young girls...I doubt they would ask such things." 

"Ohhhhh..." Lilly stepped forward. "Nara, can I have THIS one? He looks so delicious, and he has manners too." 

Aern blinked as his smile dissolved, not quite sure what to make of the situation. "Uh..." 

"Maybe later." Nara frowned. "Right now I need answers..." She turned to Fina. "Fina, maybe you know how good Vyse is in the sack." 

"Pardon me? Did you say what I thought you said?" The Silvite's voice was somewhat quiet and controlled, but her face was red and her green eyes dangerous. 

"Please, Fina...we all know that you and Vyse had something going...or maybe still do." She shook her head seeing Fina's expression. "Tsk...you mean you haven't slept with him even once? What's wrong with you?" 

"What's wrong with me?! I happen to be a lady! I don't go around hopping into people's beds!" The blonde girl was trembling with anger. 

"Oh, fine. Then maybe you, Aika. You've known Vyse for years...and I doubt you're the helpless virgin type like Fina over there." 

Vyse wearily rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Nara, you're just digging your own grave deeper. Aika doesn't know either...just leave my friends alone." 

"Just why are you so interested in Vyse, anyway?" Aika demanded hotly. "He's not anybody's property, and he makes his own decisions." 

"Why?" Belle's eyes widened. "You mean you've known him all your life and you don't know? Look at him!" 

Aika glanced at Vyse, and then back at the rose rogues. "Yeah? What's so great?" 

Vyse groaned, but didn't say anything. 

"Let me lay down the facts for you, Aika." Nara said, leveling both guns at her. "Vyse is single, but that's not only it. He's the captain of two ships, he's famous, he's extremely handsome, he's intelligent, and not to mention fairly strong. If you can't see what's right in front of you, then you don't really deserve to be with him any longer. This is why I am immediately commendeering him and taking him prisoner on board the Verge. Any attempt to resist on Vyse's part will result in your own personal harm. Got it?" 

Aika stretched languidly, reaching behind her back to scratch between her shoulders. "Oh, don't worry...I've got it." Suddenly, she pulled her boomerang off her back and hurled it at Nara. Before the pink-clad girl could fire off a single shot, both guns were knocked out of her hands by the whirling boomerang ,and sent clattering down onto the deck. Leaping, she caught the boomerang in mid-air and landed lightly on the deck of the Verge. She quickly slid into Belle's legs, knocking the airheaded girl over, and quickly stood up. At the same time, Fina jumped over to aid her, kicking Nara's guns out of her reach. 

"What's going on out here?" Gilder asked, wandering out onto deck. He blinked, finding a very interesting and unexpected scene. Belle was kneeling on the deck of the Verge, bawling about a bloody nose while rocking back and forth. Aika and Lilly seemed to be involved in some sort of scuffle that involved pulling quite a bit of hair, while Fina and Nara were circling dangerously and throwing somwhat girly yet effective punches at each other. 

"I...can't really say." Vyse sighed. "I'm not sure if I should be annoyed or flattered." 

"It seems like the fair maidens came to their valiant knight's rescue." Aern murmured. 

"Ah...I see." Gilder said with a faint grin. He shuddered and looked away from the brawl on the opposite deck. "That's just gruesome. Catfights are never pretty." 

"That's because women don't fight to show off, they fight to win." Vyse said. Then he grinned. "Which makes me glad that my two female friends are on my side." 

"Stop, stop already!" Lilly sobbed, covering her face with her hands. "Don't hit me anymore, Aika! I didn't do anything to you!" 

"Bullshit!" Aika said, thudding her fist into the girl's head again. "You asked me a VERY rude question....involving Vyse, Aern and the size of a part of the male anatomy I will NOT mention!" She made a strangled sound as Belle launched herself with a squeal and landed on the redhead. 

Nara wasn't as quite a girly fighter as her crew was. She managed to sock Fina cleanly in the jaw a few times, causing the Silvite to stagger. Still, Fina was holding her own, utilizing both her fists and her feet in fighting back against Nara, obviously refusing to call upon Cupil for help. The two young women screeched obsenities at each other, most of them seemed to include the word "bitch", while pummeling each other relentlessly. 

"Damn...what am I gonna do?" Vyse asked almost helplessly. "I know they've got it covered....but I still don't like seeing my friends get beat up." 

"Then jump in there, tiger." Gilder smirked. 

"I don't hit women, you know that." Vyse sighed. "Maybe I could just break it up somehow..." He glanced around. "Where did Aern go?" 

Suddenly there was a low howling sound heard above them. Belle continued to thump Aika's face against the deck of the Verge, but Lilly looked up and screamed, pointing at the sky. At that moment Aern swooped down onto the deck, his purple eyes glowing brightly even in the harsh light of the desert sun. He flared his wings, raised his face and let out a bellow, showing rows of sharp, dangerous-looking teeth. Lilly immediately scrambled away, fleeing into the deckhouse while sobbing uncontrollably. 

Belle gave a gibbering scream as Aern picked her up with one hand and hauled her off Aika. The Shwartzian winked at the redhead, and then snarling menacingly, stomped towards where Fina was still engaged with Nara. The rose rogue captain looked up at the tall dragonic creature that held Belle by the back of her dress, and made a small whimpering sound. 

Aern reached forward, and dropped Belle at the feet of her captain. He glanced at Fina, and then picked her up with one arm and calmly set her behind him. The Silvite stood there wordlessly, not sure what to make of Aern's reaction to their little brawl. He glanced back at her, and nodded. He then turned back towards the two remaining rose rogues, clenched his clawed fists, and bared his teeth at them. "It's not nice to fight..." 

"Uh...I'm..sorry mister...uh...thing..." Nara stammered. "Ohgodpleasedon'teatus!" 

The Shwartzian narrowed his pupiless eyes to slits. Then he opened his mouth and let out a long, shrieking roar. 

The two girls fled, the door of the Verge's deckhouse slamming shut with a bang. 

Aern sighed, and shook his horned head. He then turned towards Aika and Fina. "That was very interesting, but I think we should head back to your ship now." Stooping to pick each of them up, he walked back over to the rail, his claws clicking on the wooden deck, and leapt to land next to Vyse. "I believe it's safe to depart, Vyse. I'll have a look at these two, since they seemed too eager to fight." 

"Don't like fighting, Aern?" Gilder asked mildly. 

"Not really, no. Especially when women fight....I really dislike that for some reason." He glanced at the two female air pirates he held in each arm. "You two head inside. Once I'm dressed I'll take care of your injuries....especially that black-and-blue spot spreading around Fina's nose." He dropped them unceremoniously and made his way to the back side of the deckhouse to where he had deposited his clothing. 

"Fina...you have a black eye." Aika said. 

"Yeah, your lip's all bloody too." Fina giggled. "We're a mess, but it was fun, wasn't it?" 

"Any time we get to save Vyse's butt is a good day." The redhead grinned up at him. 

"I think I'm going back to the bridge." Vyse groaned. "Today just isn't a good day for me." 

* * * 

As he said he would, Aern patched Fina and Aika up fairly well. What would of been a black eye disappeared from the Silvite's face at Aern's gentle touch, as did the scratches on Aika's arms, chest and face. Both of them said how strange it was that he could heal by simply touching them, but he laughed. 

"Minor bumps and bruises are no problem for me. I can magically heal things as simple as black eyes or scratches with a small touch of my hand. Things like broken bones or illnesses require more than a magic touch, however. It's then that I fall back on more practical techniques." He said as he stirred up some strange-smelling tea for the two of them. "I'm still a novice..at least I think so. I know I won't be a true Cleric until I'm well into middle age." 

"I think you've done well enough already." Fina smiled. "My head and fists hurt a bit...but at least I don't have that ugly black eye anymore." 

"The aches will lessen if you drink this." He turned and handed each of them a mug of the overly-fragrant tea. "It contains natural endorphens, and also stimulants that cause your bodies to release endorphens as well." 

Aika sniffed at her tea, wrinkling her nose. "Say what?" 

"It makes your pain go away. It works for many things....headaches, toothaches, muscle cramps, sprains. Quite a useful concoction...if you don't mind the weird taste." 

Fina couldn't help making a face as she took a gulp of hers. "Ugh...moons, that's nasty. Can't I put some honey into it?" 

"More like a whole pot of honey." the redhead added, sticking out her tongue in disgust. 

"Do as you like...just drink it anyhow." 

"What if I don't want to drink it?" Aika grumbled, pushing the mug away. 

Aern shrugged. "Then you'll probably start feeling worse. Pain tends to grow, you know." 

At that point the two of them drank their tea without further complaint. 

* * * 

The rest of the trip back to Crescent Isle was fairly uneventful. A fierce thunderstorm appeared to be brewing off to the west over Valua, but they paid it no heed. It wasn't as if they planned on passing over Valua anytime soon. They listened to the distant roll of thunder and the thrumming of the Belleza's engine while chatting idly to pass the time. Towards sunset, they pulled into the back side of Crescent Isle into the seperate private port made specifically for Vyse's ships. 

As was standard, some of the crew assigned port duty were waiting there for them when they moored. Many of them were newer members that came to Crescent Isle in hopes of working for the famous Cap'n Vyes, but as he always did, Hans stood on the stone wharf, smiling lightly. His father stood with him. 

"Good to see you back, Mr. Vyse." Centime always insisted calling the scarred blue rogue "Mr. Vyse", not "Captain" or even "Vyse". Centime was horribly formal at times. "How was Valua?" 

"Dull, depressing and yet interesting; just a big old messy mix." Vyse walked down the metal catwalk to the wharf, the rest of his friends in tow. "We also stopped a few other places...Glacia, Esparanza...and then there was a little thing outside of Nasrad today." He looked at Hans. "Did things run smoothly here?" 

"Aside of the standard autumn rainstorms we get, everything went normally." the young engineer replied. "No raids were organized while you were gone, though. We figured you'd want to handle those details yourself when you got back." 

"Thanks, it's appreciated. I doubt we'll do any raids anytime soon, though. We have more important things to do." 

Hans looked past his captain at Lani, Gilder and Aern. "I see you picked up some people, Captain. I see one familiar face, but two I don't recognize." 

"This is Lani, a scientist and historian from Yafutoma." He indicated the raven-haired woman. "Ilchymis directed us to her, since she knows a lot more about the Black moon than he does." 

"Black moon?" Centime looked startled, and there was murmuring from the crew gathered behind him on the dock. "Is there such a thing?" 

"Indeed." said Aern, stepping towards the front. "I come from the lands of the dark moon...I am a Shwartzian. What Vyse says is true, there is a Black moon." 

Vyse rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yeah...I know what you're all thinking. I've got some stories to tell you...so let's assemble the senior crew members and group in the Meeting Room in an hour or so." He stretched, popping his back. "It's been a weird trip, even if we've only been gone a little over a week...we're all a bit tired." Aika, Fina and the others behind him nodded and murmured in agreement. "Let's have some down time, and then we'll discuss things." 

Aern frowned, stepping forward. "I'm not sure that's a good idea." He glanced at the far wall, east out towards the town, even though he had never seen it before. "Something is coming from that direction..." 

"What do you mean?" Fina looked a bit confused. "We're inside...you can't see anything coming." 

"No, but I can feel it. The Black moon...I think it's causing the weather to go awry, even this far north. Perhaps..." He walked over to the ramp leading up to the catwalk, an almost bemused expression on his face. "Perhaps if I see it..." 

Vyse and Fina exchanged a startled look, and then followed the Shwartzian, Aika, Gilder and Lani following. By the time the purple-haired young man had made his way up to the catwalk and to the entryway that lead out to the town, the entire welcoming crew from the wharf was following him. Unconcerned, Aern continued to walk along, looking almost as if he was listening to something. 

The group of them burst out into the blue-purple shadow of the singular mountain of Crescant Isle, the ruddy sunset hidden behind it. The air seemed a bit more chill than it should be, however, and definately a good degree heavier. Aern stepped up to the center of the plaza, next to the fountain, looking past the buildings over to the purple-black clouds roiling over Valua that seemed to grow larger by the second. He closed his eyes, bowing his head, and for a moment a chill breeze eddied through the buildings and trees, ruffling his hair and cloak. 

Then suddenly the Shwartzian opened his eyes, looking straight at the black storm front with a startled expression. "No...is it?" He whirled around to face them quickly, his eyes a bit wild, even as the wind began to howl fiercely out of the east. "Vyse, you need to get your people back into those caves...the Black moon has caused a fierce storm, causing the thunderstorms of the Yellow moon to grow and expand this way." He looked up at the dark, oily-seeming clouds that quickly slid over the island, and it could of been a trick of the light, but it seemed almost as if the Black moon crystal in his chest glowed darkly through his clothing. "...and this storm will make the one that hit you near the Dark Rift seem like a light drizzle." 


	12. Chapter 11 -- The Storm

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 11 

** CHAPTER ELEVEN  
The Storm**

Thunder boomed overhead as Vyse began shouting orders, he having to raise his voice above the sounds of the storm. "Aika, start getting people into the harbor; head to the barracks first, and make your way around the island. Tell them not to worry about their things, just get their asses into the harbor. Lani, go with Aika, help her out as best you can; start by going to the tavern and herding them towards the caves. If anybody gives you trouble, tell them that anybody who argues is first for harbor cleanup duties for the the next month. Fina, go get somebody from the barracks and get our animals into the market cave. Pinta's good with animals, he'd probably be best. Gilder, I want you to head back into the harbor and try to keep everybody calm. Sing a song, tell a story....I don't care what you've gotta do, just don't let them get panicky. Aern, Hans, Centime, you guys are with me...we've gotta get ahold of Izmael and Kirala and do our best to close up the doors and windows of the buildings. And Aern...if anything gets funny with the storm, you tell me immediately. All right, dismissed!" 

Immediately they all ran to various parts of the island to carry out their orders, despite the howling winds and the heavy rain that began to fall. Hans and Centime went to look for Kirala, while Vyse and Aern dashed over to the small cabin that Izmael had built for himself recently. Normally Izmael had the luxury to take a nap after dinner, but waking him up alway seemed to be a problem. Vyse pounded on the door. "Izmael! Izmael, if you're sleeping through this, I'm ditching you in Nasrad!" 

The door opened a crack and a wide, bearded face peered up at the two young men. "I ain't sleepin'. What's your problem? It's just a little storm." 

"Trust me, it isn't "just a little storm", sir." Aern said. "If you're lucky, the winds won't pull the buildings off their foundations." 

Izmael immediately took offense. "Whaddya mean by that? That'll NEVER happen! I built those babies myself...put all my heart into 'em, and you're sayin' they'll fall down like a house of cards? Captain, who is this joker, anyway?" 

"A friend of mine, and I think you should listen to him. He's got a knack for weather. We need to board up windows and deadbolt doors, so grab your tools and get going." 

"All right, all right...around the back's a whole stack of boards....you know where they are, Captain. Start grabbin' em, and I'll get some nails." 

That proved easier said than done. Carrying several large boards at once is somwhat straining, but trying to carry them in a fierce wind is another matter. It was a chore just keeping the boards from flying off into the wind, let alone keeping the two of them from flying off into the wind. The rain slashed at them and made their hand slippery as they tried to grip and hold up boards to nail them across the windows of the barracks. Over at the tavern, Vyse could see that Centime, Kirala and Hans were having the same problems. 

Before they nailed the doors shut, Vyse did a thorough check of each building they were boarding up, making sure that Aika and Lani had evacuated everybody to the harbor. The empty pens, cages and coops at the one end of the island indicated that Fina had managed to get the animals into the market area...or at least out of their cages. Vyse furvently hoped that they hadn't been blown off the island. 

Aern struggled as he hammered yet another board across one of the windows of Fina's quarters. The wind tugged at him relentlessly, despite his efforts to stop it from doing so, and the rain was so heavy it was blinding. Then something hit him in the shoulder and fell to shatter on the pavement below. "Vyse! Hail!" 

The Shwartzian didn't have to tell him, since Vyse was already busy dodging fist-sized hailstones, two already having hit him. "This isn't good! Aern, come down! We've gotta get inside! C'mon, Izmael!" 

The three of them dashed across the courtyard to the harbor entrance, their arms held over their heads for protection from the hailstorm. Large hunks of ice hit the cobblestones around them, shattering and harshly pelting them with bits of jagged ice. One flew up and hit Vyse just above his left eye, and he blinked furiously as blood ran into his eye from his eyebrow. 

They reached the sanctuary of the cave with some relief. Izmael flopped down on the floor, panting hard, too winded to speak. Vyse leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Aern panted and looked outside. He could barely make the nearby trees out through the rain and hail. 

"I hope everybody's okay." Vyse said as he straightened, wiping at the cut above his eye. "You alright, Izmael?" 

The carpenter nodded, still wheezing a bit. "I ain't as athletic as I used to be, that's all." He stood slowly, wincing. "That, and runnin' while gettin' hit by pieces of ice tends to wear you out." 

"Is that why your face is bleeding?" Aern asked, pointing at the gash on Vyse's eyebrow. "Perhaps I should take care of that for you." 

"Don't worry about me, it's a little nick. I'd rather you see if anybody else got pegged with hail and take care of them instead." He turned and walked into the cavern, heading down the metal catwalk towards the left, where the market area was. 

Osman was standing in the midst of chicken-like koetas, red-faced and screaming angrily at Fina, waving an expensive handkerchief about as she ranted. "Absolutely not! They're animals, they're supposed to be outside!" 

Fina wrung her hands apologetically. "I'm sorry, Ms. Osman...but we really need to have them inside. It's dropping hail the size of apples out there; our animals would die if they were out there and got hit by it." 

The obese merchant mopped at her reddened face, grunting. "That's perposterious. These idiot birds were born outside, and I'm sure that their wild relatives that live...wherever can live through a thunderstorm--" 

"Hailstorm." Fina interjected. 

"--fine, hailstorm, whatever. I do NOT want them up here, near my shop. They'll track mud all over my carpets, and they're upsetting my cat." She wrung the silk handkerchief worridly, moaning. "Dear me, what if they knock down my displays? Manage to eat some of my merchandise? I know dhabus are stupid enough to do that, so I'm sure these idiot birds would do it too." She continued to groan and complain, oblivious to the fact that Vyse stood behind her. 

"Please be reasonable, Osman." Fina pleaded. "It's only for a little while, and nobody else here is complaining. 

Osman grew red in the face again, her multiple chins bobbing as she waved her arms. "Nobody else is complaining because they're just that: nobodies. I'm the important one here; I have more money than your whole damn platoon of smelly pirates! If it wasn't for the fact that your captain picked me up when my shop was blasted, I'd have never come to this lousy hole." 

"So then leave, if you want to." Vyse said coldly, from behind her. 

The yellow-clad fat woman turned slowly, her eyes widening behind her smoked glasses. "C...captain. I didn't realize you were there...what can I do for you?" She looked him over, wrinkling her nose slightly as she regarded his sopping wet hair and clothing, and the puddle it was leaving on the floor. His fogged-up skyseer patch hung loosley around his neck, and there was a red smear of blood on his left eyebrow from the cut above his eye. Even though he was disheveled, there was still an aura of command about him; something Vyse didn't need to use frequently. 

"You can stop being stubborn. Fina's following my orders." He crossed his arms sternly, narrowing his eyes. "Unless you have a problem with that?" 

"Well...captain..." Osman floundered, looking for the proper word, phrase, bit of flattery or anything to say in order to get her out of the situation. "Please, captain...I am a woman of rank, and of dignity. I came here out of my free will, and I choose to run my business here because I was ensured that my shop wouldn't be put to squalor...not like it is now." 

Vyse grunted in a disgusted manner. "Osman, tell me...who's island is this? Who's town, who's base?" 

"Uh, yours of course, captain." 

"Exactly." he said, dragging out the word for emphasis. "I'm in charge here, and what I say, goes. If I say that the animals are to be housed in the market during a storm, then that order stands. And, I'll add...if you have a problem with it, then as soon as this storm ends, I'll drop you and your lousy attitude off at Nasrad, where I recall the residents aren't too happy with you because of some sort of scheme involving several large bank accounts in your name and customers missing their money for suspicious reasons." 

Osman gaped at him. 

"Yes, that's what I thought....so you and your egotistical ideals can go to hell. You're on Crescent Isle, not in the Nasultan's palace: suck up and deal with it. Is that clear?" 

Osman mumbled something. 

"What was that? Speak up." 

"Yes, sir." came the strained reply. 

"Good. Don't worry about your shop, it's under control. Now please, go head off and do something constructive to keep yourself busy. See if you can help by making hot tea for the people who are soaking wet. I need to talk to Fina. You're dismissed." He deliberatly stepped around the large woman and put his back to her, facing Fina. Osman spluttered something, still standing there, hovering somewhere between rage and disbelief. Vyse glanced over his shoulder at her. "Are you still here? I said to go do something. The tea won't make itself. Dimissed." 

"Capt--" 

"DIMISSED!" he snapped, turning to fix blazing amber eyes on her. 

The fat merchant clomped her mouth shut and hurried off, looking slightly put out yet somehow submissive. Once she was out of view, Vyse leaned forward on his knees and laughed. Fina shook her head, sighing. "That wasn't very nice, Vyse." 

He straightened, grinning at her through dripping bangs. "And yet, oh-so-satisfying. Osman needs to be put in her place now and again. You know I don't normally talk to people like that." 

The Silvite sighed and reached up to wring out the scarf hanging around his neck. "You're soaking wet..." 

"So are you." He said, examining her critically. "And a bit cold, from the looks of it." he added with a something close to a leer. 

Fina blinked, looked down at her damp shirt and then blushed, crossing her arms to cover up her breasts. "That's not nice either." 

He chuckled. "I'm sorry...it's not as if I was staring at them. I'm just sure you don't want to walk around with your nipples popping out to say hello." He winced, seeing her reaction to that sentence. "Hmm...poor choice of words, but you get my point." 

She nodded. "That's all right, thanks for telling me. ...and what happened to your face? You're bleeding..." 

"Again? This damn thing..." He wiped at the blood that had pooled and slowly was running down towards his eye again. "What kind of idiot gets cut on ice, anyway?" 

"Hailstone hit you?" 

"No, a hailstone hit the pavement, and then bits of it flew up to hit my face. I hope it doesn't leave a scar." 

"But, you already have that scar below your eye. What will one more matter?" 

"That's different. I got that scar in a fight, defending my friend from a vicious animal. That's something you can wear with a bit of honor and decency. Not like some idiot scar caused by a piece of frozen water." 

She giggled. "You have some strange ideas at times, Vyse." 

He smiled in reply. "Somebody as to. C'mon...there are enough people here to watch over the animals. Let's go back to the harbor where everybody else is. We might not be able to get to our clothes to change out of our wet ones, but we can at least sit near a warm fireplace or stove." 

The Silvite nodded, her arms still crossed somewhat defensively across her breasts, and walked with him towards the harbor. "You should go talk to Aern about that cut, though." she said. "He managed to heal my black eye pretty well, and he says that he can manage small things like that cut you have." 

"Magical healing?" He shrugged. "He offered to before, but first I need to make sure that everybody's made it into the caves safe and sound. Are all the animals accounted for?" 

"Most of them. A few birds got panicky and literally flew off the island, and we both know how well koetas fly. Still, Pinta helped me and we managed to get most of them. We won't worry about having no meat for a while...but who knows what the garden will look like after this storm is done." She paused, listening to the rain and hail drum heavily outside. "Horrible..." 

"I know. I'm glad Aern warned us." He walked down the catwalk towards where the small population of Crescent Isle had gathered near the wharf, all standing crowded around Gilder. The red-clad pirate was telling some sort of story or another, embellishing it a bit with theatrical facial expressions and gesticulations. Fina and Vyse couldn't quite hear what he was saying, but every few seconds the crowd would laugh or even clap about something in his story. The red faces of some of the female folk indicated that the story was somewhat on the raunchy side. 

Aika, Lani and Aern were standing off to the side, listening to the story. Aika had a wide grin on her face, her eyes alight with laughter, but the Shwartzian's facial expression dictated that he didn't quite care for the story. It may of been a trick of the light, but he was slightly red around the ears. Lani seemed to be ignoring the tale entirely as she read something written on a sheet of paper she held. 

"Did you do a head count?" Vyse asked her as he approached the three with Fina. 

"Yep." the redhead replied. "Everybody made it into here safe and sound. A few people got whacked with hailstones, but nothing serious. The worst was Kirala, who got a nasty bump on the head." 

"She's inside now." Aern said, indicating the building the three of them were leaning against. "She's put ice on it, saying that it'll take more than a little bump to send her crying for a healer." He seemed somewhat offended. 

"That's just Kirala, she's always like that." The scarred blue rogue smiled. "She might not seem it, but she's tough as nails." 

"What happened to your eye?" Aika asked. 

"Hail hit rocks. Ice fly up. Vyse bleed." He sighed. "It's stupid..." 

"Accidents happen." Lani shrugged, glancing up briefly from her reading. "I'm surprised nobody really got hurt...just horribly wet." Her dark grey-brown eyes flickered down to her notes again. "And sadly most people don't have a change of clothing, seeing that it's all out in the barracks. Or that's what I've heard from the complaints flying left and right down here." 

"They'll live." Aika muttered. "Damn babies...it's just a little water." 

Fina glanced down at her chest again, making sure that it was well covered by her arms, but she didn't say anything. 

"Want me to do something about that cut now, Vyse?" Aern offered. 

The blue rogue captain sighed and nodded. "Might as well. It isn't as if we have much to do until this storm finishes." 

* * * 

Aika sipped her tea, relaxed and content despite the storm raging outside. She and the other bridge officers, being Fina, Vyse and Hans all sat in one of the warm, dry rec rooms alongside the dock. Gilder, Lani, Aern, Centime and Domingo had joined them near the cheerily burning iron moonstone stove, all sipping hot drinks and chatting idly. 

"It pisses me off," Domingo was saying. "Here I made all these preparations to check out some supposedly forgotten Valuan castle, and then mother nature goes and has other ideas." 

"Don't feel bad, Domingo." said Fina, who sat on one of the couches with Vyse and Aika. She happened to be leaning a bit against Vyse, who didn't seem to object, or perhaps didn't even notice. "We're all stuck here too. We can't even go out to our quarters, and neither can the crew, so everybody has to sleep here for the night." 

"At least people are safe." Aern said in his quiet voice. He was seated on the arm of the couch the three blue rogue officers occupied. "I'd rather not have people hurt...I'm not the best of healers." 

"Is that false modesty I hear, or do you just enjoy beating yourself up?" Aika nudged him with her elbow. "C'mon Aern...there hasn't been anything you haven't been able to take care of yet. You managed to take care of all the people who were bonked by hailstones anyway." 

He gave a faint smile, but didn't reply. 

"In any case, the weather should blow over by tomorrow. I'd be surprised if a storm of this magnitude lasts for days. Right Vyse?" 

He glanced at the redhead and shrugged. "I've never seen it happen, so I'm not too worried. I'm just aggravated because it sounds like this storm is doing damage out there. I hate to leave a mess behind for my secondary crew to clean up." 

"Don't worry, Mr. Vyse." Centime smiled. "I assure you that my crew can help with whatever needs to be fixed, and there will be no complaints. I'll make sure of that." 

"Thanks Centime, but it's the morals of the whole thing that bug me. What kind of captain ditches his base in a time of need? Well...not that a few broken windows counts as a time of need..." He frowned and shook his head. "In any case, people won't be happy with me." 

"But you have a mystery on your hands." Lani said. She hadn't said much since they had been ushered inside, but had instead been reading over her notes she compiled over the past few days from interviewing Aern. "I don't think your crew can blame you if you go out to solve something that might change the world completely." She neatly set down her teacup in its saucer and stared at the wall distantly. "There's a civilization out there that the world has forgotten, and I think it's up to you, no...up to us to bring it to light. Not only that, but to bridge a gap between humans and Shwartzians and unite them in a way they were thousands upon thousands of years ago." 

"That's what I am hoping." Aern stood, folding his arms behind his back while staring at the fire. "My Protectorate was sent out in hopes of contacting somebody, anybody willing to listen to our cause and to accept us as part of the world. I think it's time Shwartzia stopped hiding, even if some members of the Council don't agree." 

"What do you mean by that, Aern?" Aika looked at him a bit suspiciously. "You didn't tell us this detail before." 

He coughed a bit uncomfortably. "Yes, well...I had my reasons. I didn't tell you all the details, because you may not have wanted to help a country that's literally divided in half. It isn't as if we're at civil war...but we're close. Whenever the Black Moon passes close to Shwartzia, opinions rise and tempers rage, and the government nearly crumbles each time. The argument is thus: should we remain hidden and safe, or should we take a risk and let ourselves be known? If we remained hidden, then no wars, pestilance, raids or other problems that effect places such as Mid-Ocean and Nasr would reach us. And yet, if we brought our country out into the world, we may stand of a chance of trade, of experiencing new cultures and discoveries." His red eyes reflected the glowing flames of the moonstones burning in the stove. "I think that we have nothing to lose...that we should contact the rest of the world and become part of Arcadia once more. So does Gaed. But Eleah..." 

"Your sister wants the Shwartzians to stay hidden under the Dark Rift, doesn't she?" Fina asked gently. 

"Yes. And yet, as part of our Protectorate, she must do as the rest of us do. Gaed made his mind up long ago, and she would sooner remove her arm than go against Gaed." He made a bitter face. "She's so...difficult at times. I imagine you'll meet her sometime soon, if we find Gaed first. I expect that once we find him we will be able to go down to Shwartzia and then Fina can bring life back to us." 

"I'm not sure I know how to do that." the Silvite admitted. 

"I'm not sure either, but the Council assured us that the way was written in some old texts they had. Whatever it is, I'm certain it won't be too much of a strain on you. The Council knows that Silvites are rare and the last thing they'd want to do is harm one of your race." 

Fina nodded and stared down at her hands, but it didn't seem as if she was entirely sure she believed Aern, regardless of what he said. 

* * * 

Aern stood on the deck of the Delphinus, watching as Vyse and Aika both supervised and helped with the loading of supplies into the large battleship's hold. He somehow wished that they could take the Belleza; he had grown to like the wooden sailboat and its comfortable quarters. To him, the Delphinus was a beast; an ugly beast that had cannon turrets instead of masts, steel and aluminium plating instead of polished wood, cold electrical lights instead of a moonstone lantern's warm friendly glow. He didn't voice his opinions, however...he knew that to do so would only offend his friends. 

He could see that Vyse took pride in the battle cruiser, even if it did appear large and ungainly. Something in his amber eyes shone when he glanced about the ship as he stood, one hand hooked lazily in his belt, with Aika not too far from where the crew was loading in supplies. The Shwartzian wasn't necissarily in earshot for a normal person, but Aern was far from normal. Despite his manners, he could clearly hear what the two air pirates were saying and he made no effort to politely ignore what they were saying. 

"It's been a while..." Vyse said in a mixture of regret and anticipation. His voice was strange at times, or so Aern thought so; sometimes Vyse would sound like an 18-year-old young man: youthful, brash, rising and falling in tones and candence...and yet at other times, his voice would gain some of the maturity and intelligence that lay hidden behind a scarred face and uncombed hair, and Vyse would sound like a man decades older. Right now, the latter was the case...the goofy youthfulness was gone, and Vyse the legendary captain of the Delphinus took over. "I've been somewhat leery every time we use this ship." 

"I think I know why." Aika's voice was usually strong, loud and lacked femininity sometimes; yet, right now it was soft, deep, kind and understanding. It was obvious by the way she and Vyse spoke to each other that they were fairly close. Aern somehow wished that he could have a friendship like that as he continued to listen to the redhead speak. "It's sometimes hard to go on a ship where horrible things happened." 

He sighed. "Well, yes and no. I admit the time we took on Zelos was probably the scariest thing I've ever done...and yet it's not just that. The fact that we had to kill somebody close to Fina, and that she was so close to him..." He grunted. "Ramirez went wrong, but I'm sure he wasn't a bad guy as a start. Fina still mopes about losing him, and it isn't just losing a fellow Silvite; it's about losing somebody close. I think I understand where she's coming from too...after all, I thought you were dead, and I practically went psycho. Ask Gilder or Lani." 

The redhead let out a laugh that wasn't quite a chuckle nor a giggle, and threw her hands around her friend's neck. "You dumbass...you should've known I'd be okay." 

Vyse gave a small smile. "Sometimes you lose hope. Not something I do often, huh? But uhh...let's change the subject. And stop hugging me in front of the crew, it's embarassing." 

"Whatever the Cap'n says." Aika let go and ruffled his dark brown hair. "And anyway...don't think about the horrible things that happened on board this ship. Think about all we accomplished: we sailed around the world, we saw so many new things, we became world famous..." She grinned. "The Delphinus isn't all that bad. It sort of made you who you are." 

"I wouldn't say so. I've always been who and what I am...I just needed the Delphinus to see it, I guess." He shrugged, dismissing the subject. "We'd better talk to Centime to see how the repairs of the tavern are going. We have to be out of the port within the hour and I want to make sure that everything runs smoothly here while we're gone." 

"Oh, sure, sure...captain's responsibility and all that." She grinned and hopped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Now, giddyap!" 

Vyse grinned and grabbed her legs to hold her up, and then laughing along with Aika, ran down the twisting loading catwalk. Aern watched as they went, watching as the two of them engaged in heartful immature activity despite the strange look their crew gave them, and he listened as their laughter echoed about the cave walls of the underground harbor. He felt a pang of jealousy then, wanting to have a friend or anybody that close, to have something similar to what Vyse and Aika had, and knowing that he would never find it in the members of his Protectorate. 

If he even found them. 


	13. Chapter 12 -- Into Deep Sky

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 12 

** CHAPTER TWELVE  
Into Deep Sky**

The sky near the horizon was a deep azure color hinted with bits of purple, no doubt clouds near Sailor's Isle. Fina stood on deck, ignoring the other crew members there, quietly thinking. It wasn't as if she needed to be on bridge for this ship, even if she was an officer. The crew of the Delphinus came close to eighty, which was twice as much as was standard for either a Valuan warship or a blue rogue raiding vessel. Besides, the crew...a mixture of people Vyse hand-picked from around the world, pirates from Dyne's retired vessel Albatross II, and new recruits that came to Crescent Isle to work for the legendary captain Vyse...they all deferred to Vyse first and foremost. Some of them were from lands where women were less important, so they would smile and nod at Fina when she issued them an order, but it was obvious they thought her unimportant and even stupid. 

This was something that infuriated the Silvite at times...the fact that people thought she had no brains in her head. Just because she was small and slight, and just because she was fairly ignorant to the ways of the world when she arrived over a year ago didn't necessarily mean that Fina was stupid. On the contrary, she was far from it: Fina was just as intelligent as Ramirez was, maybe even a bit more at times. Her old friend was absolutely brilliant at times, but he lacked common sense, something Fina did have since she was a child. Her insight to situations sometimes surprised her companions, something Fina occasionally took joy in doing. 

Vyse, however, didn't seem to be surprised too often. It was almost as if he had the ability to see people for who they really were, to get past the little nuances that other people saw first and foremost, and to be able to treat them decently. For that, Fina was grateful. If anything, Vyse didn't treat her like a small slip of a girl; he treated her like a fellow human being, like a friend. Aika treated her as a friend, and yet Aika didn't always seem to believe that Fina understood things fully. If anybody, Aika was the least bright of their group. 

Gilder treated Fina like a lady, but it was obvious it was out of habit instead of any real respect. Fina knew that Gilder carried his brain in his pants, and that he always had one thing on the mind. He had made a few passes at Fina and Aika on occasion, but Vyse quickly and almost forcefully encouraged him to do something else. Gilder was a playboy, and he would never see women as much more than something interesting with breasts. 

Lani was different, but she was quiet. While she did say what she thought about situations, she generally didn't say too much to let on to her personality. Fina got the impression that she wasn't necessarily antisocial, she was just shy. It was a shame too...Lani was somebody Fina would love to talk to for hours on end. It was obvious that Vyse felt the same...both he and Fina had made several attempts to get Lani involved in any sort of intelligent discussion. Sometimes it would get somewhere interesting, and the Yafutoman scientist's views on the world or her wealth of knowledge would shine through...but then she would make an excuse to observe Aern again. That's how scholars were, Fina mused. Once they found a new toy...a new bit of information to devour and dissect, they'd all but ignore everything else around them and focus their attentions on that one thing. Ilchymis was like that, and now so was Lani. Fina shook her head. Sometimes scholars were silly people. 

And then there was Aern. Fina didn't know exactly what to make of him. He seemed fairly intelligent, but he never really wanted to talk unless he felt something important needed to be said. He was even more quiet than Lani, and perhaps it was for antisocial reasons. Fina got the distinct feeling that he wasn't horribly comfortable around them, that he was used to being around people that ignored him for the most part. This thought saddened Fina...how can somebody live their life being ignored? He was the Cleric of his Protectorate, something that seemed to be fairly important to Fina. She wondered how he was treated at home, down below the Dark Rift, in Shwartzia. 

That was another thought that disturbed Fina. How was she supposed to help out this strange new race? Long ago her ancestors may have had a way to heal anything, but Fina knew that the Silvite bloodlines didn't always breed true. She knew that occasionally a surface dweller from Arcadia would be brought up to the Great Silver Shrine to marry and have children with a Silvite, to carry on the race's legacy. Silvites could have many children, but usually they were all one gender or another...such was the reason to bring up surface dwellers, as well to prevent inbreeding. Fina knew that she was a descendant of one of the elders...which one, they never told her. Still, she wondered if there was some Mid-Ocean or Valuan blood in her, and if that would hamper her ability to heal the Shwartzians. 

And yet...heal what? Their women were barren, Aern had stated that fact clearly. How could she heal their wombs so they could have children again? Was it something she had to do to the young women who had just come out of their long sleep? Or perhaps she had to save those who were dying from being in magical hibernation for so long? Aern had such faith in her, she knew she couldn't let him down. Still, how she could help was beyond her knowledge; she as a Silvite had skills with magic that her friends didn't have, yes...but she had no other abilities that she knew of. 

The thought that she had to do something she didn't understand nor had the capacity for frightened her, and yet she wanted to keep it to herself. If she told any of her friends that she had these doubts, it would probably crush Aern's spirits. The young man seemed to have gone through much, and the last thing she wanted to do was fail him. 

Depressed by her thoughts, Fina sighed and let her hands fall from where they rested on the rail. Worrying about it would do no good...and her companions would start asking her about it, that being the last thing she wanted them to do. Putting on a pleasant, calm face, Fina turned, and with her heels clicking on the metal planking of the deck, made her way back towards the bridge. 

* * * 

Later in the afternoon of the next day, they reached Shrine Island, the remaining piece of Soltis left in Mid-Sky that hovered near the location of the Vortex, a swirling mass of clouds that marked the entrance down into Deep Sky where Soltis lay. The Delphinus slowly slipped down in altitude until they reached Lower Sky, right above the fringe of dark turbulent clouds that was Deep Sky. 

"Intimidating, isn't it?" Gilder murmured to Lani as Vyse ordered the pressure shutters closed over the Delphinus' windows. "Last time they went down there, I wasn't with them. I've never been down there, but I'm not too anxious to go. I've seen Soltis once, and once was enough for me. That place is creepy, and now that's its lying on the surface of the planet, it creeps me out even more." 

"Afraid of the ghost stories you've heard, Gilder?" Lani prodded mildly. "Do you seriously believe that the dead reside in Deep Sky?" 

"Well...it's not like they're walking around like zombies...but I do believe in a soul. What happens at a funeral? You dump the body overboard and it goes down into Deep Sky to land on the surface eventually. What happens to that person's soul, then? I think it'd hang out near where its body wound up. There has to be something down there: spirits, ghosts...whatever you want to call them." He shivered. "Damn creepy." 

The scientist laughed. "You're really serious, aren't you? And here I thought you weren't afraid of anything." 

"Well it's not as if I'm really scared or anything..." he gave a grin, but it seemed sickly from the wan glow given off by the green submergence lights. 

She patted his hand kindly. "Sometimes we can't help phobias. I won't tell the others about it, they'd just make fun of you." 

Gilder coughed and fiddled with the brooch below his scarf. "Uh...well I..." His eyes lowered. "Thanks. Those kids...y'know...they kinda look up to me at times. I think. I don't want them thinking I'm some sort of little scared pansy." 

"You're not, trust me. I've heard of you doing some crazy things, and I don't doubt any of them. It takes a lot of bravery to be an insane air pirate." 

His grin of response was overlaid with confidence. "You betcha. I've been to hell and back several times, and even enjoyed the trip. Hey, if you want, you and I could talk about it in private somewhere..." 

Lani rolled her eyes and walked off. "Never mind...forget I even talked to you." 

"Aww, c'mon! You don't know what you're missing!" he called after her. 

"Goodbye, Gilder." Lani said as she went to stand at the far end of the bridge, her back to him. The other crew members turned to look at him, a few of them sniggering because they knew exactly what was going on. Gilder's reputation as a womanizer preceded him wherever he went, even on board the Delphinus. 

"Gilder, keep it in your pants for now. We're ready to go down." Vyse said over his shoulder from his place at the helm. Shaking his head about the other blue rogue's behavior, Vyse looked down at the instruments. "It looks like we're ready. Aika, Fina...how are things at your stations?" 

"Submergence engines are running, all the pressure shutters are in place." Fina reported. "Sonar is active and functioning normally. Hovering engine power levels at normal, and all unnecessary systems shut down. We have enough fuel to fly down here for a full day, and enough power for sonar for about three and a half hours...and that's if we don't use it to locate objects on the other sides of mountains or beneath the surface." 

"We're at 134 feet above the Deep Sky fringe, winds are coming from the east at 47 MPH and heading towards the Vortex. External barometric pressure at 51.6 inches and rising, internal at 30.2 inches. The crew has reported in at their positions." Aika glanced up from her station to look at Vyse. "We're ready to go." 

"All right people, we've done this before. Aika, you keep an eye on that air pressure, if it starts getting too high inside let me know. Fina, keep an eye on the power levels for our sonar. I'd hate to run out of power and fly around blind down here. Hans?" 

"Captain?" The young man turned from his post to look at Vyse. 

"Are the lower doors ready?" 

"Aye, aye. The airlock system is working fine, I triple-checked it. If Aern does his part, you can step down onto Soltis and not be squished by the air pressure." 

Vyse turned to Aern. "And you're up to this?" 

The Shwartzian nodded. "Of course. I can hold off high pressure like this for a few minutes, which is more than enough time for us to enter Soltis. The air pressure inside should be the same inside as it was when Soltis was still in Mid-Sky." 

"Good. All right, we're going down. Dropping in altitude." 

They began their descent into the depths of Deep Sky, all somewhat nervous. Gilder looked especially pale, but he didn't say anything as the ship jarred and rocked slightly from turbulence caused by the Vortex. 

"Makes the Dark Rift look like a stroll in the park..." Vyse muttered. "Aika? Pressure good?" 

"Internal pressure staying steady, external pressure rising pretty damn quick. The needle's bopping all over the place so I can't get a good reading. We're now 150 feet below the Deep Sky Fringe...200 feet...300...400..." 

"Sonar says we're approximately 1,200 feet above the surface, give or take a few hundred feet." Fina reported. "There's a large formation to our port side...but it seems to be normal rock from the surface, probably a mountain." She winced as the ship suddenly lurched and there was a large booming sound. The instruments below her flickered briefly and then returned back to normal. "I think we were hit by lightning there...everything seems fine, though." 

"It can't be helped...the electric activity down here is insane, probably because of all the moonstones." Vyse continued to watch the altimeter. "I can't even get a reading anymore...I'm in the red. Where are we at?" 

"Sonar says we've broken through the lower cloud fringe and are now about 600 feet above the surface. Gravitational stabilizers and hover engines holding steady...we won't be falling anytime soon." 

"We've dropped some 1,100 feet or so since entry, internal pressure at 30.5 inches. I think we're doing good...this is about how we were last time." Aika shuddered. "I still don't like it down here." 

"None of us do, Aika." Vyse tapped at the compass in front of him. It was more or less behaving itself. "Shrine Island was a bit to the north-northeast when we descended. If we head in that direction, we'll bump into Soltis for sure. Fina, keep an eye on that sonar, we're on the move." 

They slowly made their way forward, creeping along just above the planet's surface, listening to the boom of thunder overhead. Everybody on the bridge seemed somewhat nervous, but that was to be expected because of the massive pressure all around them. If even one of the shutters or hard plates buckled or lost a bolt, air would start to rush in quickly. If it didn't cause them to pass out from difficulty in drawing breaths, it would disable their hover engines, and they would fall to the surface. It wasn't a pleasant thought, and yet it was on all of their minds. 

"It's hard to think Gaed is in this horrible place..." Aern said quietly. "I hope he's all right." 

"You seem to be pretty sturdy, so if you're friend is anything like you, he's probably fine." Aika gave a reassuring smile. "We'll get 'im out of there no problem. We'll be in and out of Soltis before you even blink." 

Aern gave a short laugh. "You're pretty confident. All right, I have faith in all of you." 

"I'm picking up something on the sonar..." Fina informed them. "Vyse, there's something at our ten-o-clock...it's fairly big and made of something reflective, sort of like metal. I think it's Soltis." 

Vyse peered over to look at the sonar screen, to see the vague hexagonal green shape that appeared and faded with each sonar sweep. "That's Soltis all right...it's bigger than anything else here, not to mention it bounces back the sonar more, which means it has man-made metals in it. Okay, we're heading in." 

* * * 

They all stood in the airlock, on top of a lift that would be lowered down to the sunken continent's surface. The Delphinus was no longer hovering but had settled down to land on an even section of Soltis, near a formation similar to Shrine Island, whose familiar shape indicated they would be able to head down through it. They all agreed that if they had not found Gaed in six hours, they would head back to the Delphinus, resurface above Deep Sky, refuel and then try again tomorrow. The ship's crew had orders to leave if the search party hadn't returned in twelve hours. Some weren't happy about this, but Vyse claimed he didn't want his crew to stay down here to die in case something happened to him. He also added that he doubted anything would happen to him, so nobody should worry. There were no arguments, and they had made their way to the airlock in the fore part of the ship's belly, just below the massive moonstone cannon. 

They were carrying moonstone lanterns, all containing silver moonstones because of the large amount of light they gave off. The sun would never reach this place...the sun had never reached this place, apparently, until Aern said something before they descended. 

"It's said that long ago, the ancestors of the Silvites and the Shwartzians once lived on the surface of Arcadia. Then something happened that caused the air pressure to grow heavily throughout the planet, and it caused the weather to alter greatly. Layers of clouds formed, keeping the sun from the surface and driving everybody to live in the skies. I'm not sure what happened, but I hope it's something that doesn't happen again. Something that can drastically change a planet like that can kill millions." 

"That's kinda scary." Aika shivered. "All right Aern, you ready?" 

He nodded. "Let's go down." 

Vyse took one of his cutlasses and tapped the airlock door behind them with its pommel, indicating to his crew that they were ready. They all had brought weapons with them, even Lani, who seemed to favor a slightly curved quarterstaff. From their last venture into Soltis, they had learned that the old guardians that once kept the city safe from intruders still functioned and were still out to kill on sight. Fina still had no weapon, only having Cupil to defend her, but her magic was more than enough to keep anything at bay. Aern had nothing at all, but he seemed confident enough. 

The slanted door before them grated open and suddenly there was a violent rush of cold, stagnant air. Suddenly it stilled about them as a sphere of faintly glowing purple-black light surrounded them. Aern, the black moon crystal in his chest glowing darkly though his shirt, nodded in a confident manner. "We'll be fine. I have it handled. Just don't go outside the sphere and stay close to me, or else you'll be crushed." 

The lift chugged and lowered them down to the silvery-white surface of Soltis, an occasional silvery-black stripe of metal reflecting back their lamplight. Even though the pressure was high and the air was obviously tainted with gasses that made it almost unbreatheable, the strange silver metal that Soltis was constructed of had scarcely eroded. There were no signs of oxidation on it either, no rust or tarnishing; proof that the Silvites were far more advanced than any civilization currently living on Arcadia. Vyse marveled at it as he held his lantern chest-high while walking within Aern's dome of habitable air. 

"Are you all right, Aern?" Fina seemed concerned, her eyes visible amid pools of shadow as a result of the meager light the lanterns gave off in this land with no light. "You're breathing a bit heavy." 

"It's a bit of a strain, but I will be all right." Aern grunted, his chest heaving slightly. "Just let's hurry. I would rather not stay out here." His red eyes flickered up to the dark clouds roiling overhead, which were occasionally illuminated by flashes of purple-blue lightning. "Besides, we're in danger of being struck by lightning. I'd prefer not to die that way." 

Without further comment, the six of them continued on their way, towards one of the shimmering towers that marked an entrance into the dead city. Unlike its brother tower Shrine Island, this structure wasn't overgrown with vines and moss, nor did it have water pooling in its lower areas. It was unchanged by time, constructed of silvery-white metal sheathed in something pale and white that can only be described as some sort of plaster, and yet it didn't exactly seem to even be that. Green, blue and black lines crisscrossed its surface, each not a solid line but clear glass veins with strange glyphs and symbols contained within. 

As they approached, the strips of dark color amid the chalky white began to hum and glow, the metallic-colored symbols quickly whizzing along inside their glass pathways. The group stopped, looking at the building that suddenly alive with activity. 

"That's remarkable," Lani breathed. "I don't know what's going on...is the building maybe...recognizing us?" 

"Shrine Island did in spots." Vyse replied. "When you walked near things, it seemed to trigger them so we could get deeper into the tower. I think that's what's happening here." He frowned. "At least I hope so." 

As if in response, the white-and-bronze door slid open with a faint hissing sound. The lights in the glass pathways dimmed slightly, but the building didn't stop its humming sound. 

"So much for knocking." Gilder murmured. 

"I think we'd better get moving." Aika said. "I'd rather get inside before we're fried by lightning, or before Aern's bubble pops." She glanced nervously at the purple light shimmering a few inches away from her shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I think I'd like to be someplace safe." 

"Safer." Vyse corrected. "Who knows what's inside?" He shrugged, holding a cutlass ready in his right hand. "Let's go." 

They made their way into the tower's entrance, most at all surprised when the door slid shut behind them. Lani did jump, however, and gave a worried look to their leader. 

"Relax. We'll be fine." the scarred blue rogue assured her. "Last time we were here, all sorts of things moved on their own. Think of it as something like Glacia....you were used to that place after all." 

The Yafutoman scientist nodded, her braid bobbing. "All right, I trust you all." She glanced over at Aern, who was tentatively reaching a hand out of the dome of purple light to test the weight of the air. "Is it all right?" 

"A bit heavy, but breathable. I'll take the shield down now." He closed his eyes, and the black moon crystal beneath his skin flickered briefly. The dome shimmered and dissolved, letting heavy, stagnant hair rush in. They all coughed, their bodies not suited for such a change in air pressure. 

"Ugh, this reminds me of when I had pneumonia when I was little." Gilder coughed. "Thanks for the warning, Aern, but I still wasn't ready." 

"Sorry. I assume that it'll get better as we move in further. You'll get used to it as well." He began to walk down the spiraling pathway that was laid out along the hexagonal walls in a series of platforms and wide steps. Wordlessly, Fina followed him, her green eyes glancing about a structure that her ancestors had built, and yet it seemed alien even to her. 

"I still think these Silvite buildings are weird," Gilder commented, reflecting Fina's thought unknowingly. 

"I think your buildings are strange." Aern said. "In Shwartzia, our few towns are composed of more advanced materials. Wood is hard to come by where I live. We use certain plants from the Dark Rift as fuel and light, and stone from the planet's surface as building materials." 

"I can't wait to see it." Aika popped up, grinning. "From what it sounds like, it's a city of endless night, just like Valua....but much nicer looking." Her grin faded as they reached the large brass-colored door at the bottom of the tower. It wasn't moving. "Uh, isn't something supposed to happen?" 

"Funny, the one in Shrine Island always worked." Vyse's face screwed up into a look of annoyance. "Now why wouldn't this thing be working?" 

"Maybe it's the floor....lots of things in Shrine Island worked because you stepped on the floor." Aika stamped hard on the smooth white stone in front of the door. "Well, at least I think they did." She stamped harder. "Stupid thing....why won't it budge?" She began hopping up and down, ramming her heels into the ground, causing dry-sounding echoes to resound through the tower; she also caused a few chuckles from her companions. Ceasing her hopping, she glared at them. "Well at least I tried something...I'm not just standing around like some people." 

Fina felt along the smooth surface of the door. "Here's a crack, where the two doors open...but I don't know if all of us could pull open these huge things ourselves, even if Aern turned into his other form." She frowned, her porcelain brown crinkling slightly. "We might have a problem." 

"Did you guys try this?" Gilder asked, even as he was in the act of pushing flat, irregular shapes on a panel that could only be described as buttons. Some of the members of the group cried out at him to not touch it, but it was too late. The humming sound was heard again, although none of the glass pathways were to be seen inside the tower. A grinding roar was heard from behind the door. Then silence. 

Gilder raised one eyebrow. "Did I break it?" 

The large door slid open, leaving a yawning blackness ahead that their silver moonstone lanterns could not illuminate. Something inside shimmered in spots, however; almost like the glass pathways outside, but silver instead of blue. Then small balls of light seemed to gather and form in front of a large glowing hole in something that was metallic and huge. By the light of the charging energy, they could see the definite shape of one of the larger varieties of Soltis' guardians. 

"Look out!" Fina cried, jumping out of the way. The others followed suit, all drawing their weapons just as a blast of silvery-blue energy shot through where they were standing to explode on the far wall behind them. With a faint hissing mechanical sound, the guardian stepped out of the doorway and took a clumsy swing at Gilder, who was still standing somewhat near the door. The blue rogue leaped back as nimbly as only one of his profession could, and began to fire with both pistols. The bullets bounced off the silvery surface of the guardian's armor. 

"Aw, crap." Gilder muttered. "I remember now." He jumped back. "I can't shoot the damn thing unless some of that armor is damaged." He glanced at Vyse. "Can't you hack at it a bit with those fancy swords Ryu-kan made you?" 

"Working on it, Gilder." Vyse grated, feinting in and dodging out while attempting to slash at the thing's torso with his velorium-and-moonstone alloy cutlasses. He managed to land a few hits before the guardian grabbed him by the front of his coat and hurled him into Aern. 

"Did you have to fall on my head?" The Shwartzian groaned, rubbing at a spot above his right temple while the blue rogue clambered off from on top of him. 

"Sorry. I'll be sure to land on Aika next time." With that, he was up again and back in the fray. 

Aika, however, didn't hear her friend's comment. She was busy trying to accomplish anything with her boomerang. Like Gilder's bullets, the weapon was simply bouncing off, and usually landing in an inconvenient place near the monster's feet. Then she would have to dodge back in, grab the weapon before she was stepped on, and leap back out quickly. "This isn't working! Somebody better start throwing spells at this thing before it decides to shoot at us again!" 

Fina, however, was already in the act of doing so. With Cupil whirring about her head excitedly, the Silvite lowered her face slightly, not ever taking her eyes off the guardian. In a whirling mass of purple lights hinted by hues of yellow, she held out her right palm, quietly whispering the proper incantation in the old Silvite language. A ball of crackling electric energy formed in front of her hand, and suddenly shot out as intense lightning to hit the guardian. The dim inside of the tower was suddenly illuminated by yellow-white light that flickered and danced on the walls, causing their shadows to writhe strangely. The creature faltered, caught off guard by the electric spell. Then it straightened and began swinging its large arms at Vyse, Gilder and Aika again. 

"Good idea....silver creatures were always weaker against lightning." Aern came to stand behind her, and with similar purple and yellow lights moving below his feet, unleashed a similar lightning spell. The creature attempted to cover its head with its massive clublike hands, but this action couldn't protect it from the spell's electricity that crackled all along its body. 

Lani set the butt of her staff on the ground, having not used it for obvious reasons, and cast a lightning-elemental spell. She too used the ancient Silvite language for an incantation, as was standard with most spells. Aern, however, quietly muttered a different, alien-sounding tongue as he unleashed another lightning spell on the guardian. 

The creature writhed, although not exactly in pain; it was as if whatever was causing it to function properly was failing. Vyse took this as a cue and leaped in to hack at the left arm in a blur of sword strokes. Silvery-blue electricity crackled along the guardian's torso and left arm, and then the arm fell to the ground with a heavy _chink_ sound. The other limbs, which weren't exactly attached, began to hover farther and farther away from the creature's body. Obviously, it was losing control and couldn't keep the appendages fastened to its torso. 

Gilder opened fire again, this time on the large hole in the guardian's torso, the spot where it had earlier produced an energy blast. The bullets hit true, and caused small explosions inside the monster, making it stagger back awkardly. In one last attempt to carry out its programming, the guardian picked Aika up with its one remaining massive arm, but the damage to it had been done. With the sound of dying machinery, the metallic creature's head, then arm, then torso and finally legs fell to the floor, all landing with a heavy-sounding clatter. Aika stood up from the pile of metal rubble, rubbing at a bruised shoulder. "Well, that's that." Then she turned to glare at Gilder. "Although it wouldn't have come if you weren't poking around at things." 

Gilder spun his pistols and set them in their holsters, fixing a look of boyish innocence on his face. "What? I got the door open, didn't I?" 

* * * 

After their initial encounter with one of the larger guardians, the group moved along a bit more carefully, eyes cautiously scanning their surroundings even as they hastily made their way through the crumbling tunnels of Soltis. Most of the outer tunnels were weathered and eroded by the harsh air of Deep Sky, and for parts Aern had to erect the dome of habitable air in order for them to proceed. Occasionally smaller guardians would intervene and attempt to impede their progress, but none would succeed, most being blown to bits by yellow spells from Fina, Lani or Aern. 

"I'm glad I don't really use magic." Vyse commented at one such encounter. "I'm always afraid that I'll say the words wrong and wind up burning my own eyebrows off." 

"Amen." Gilder agreed. "Give me something like this, something I can hold in my hand and know it's gonna protect me." He held up one of his pistols, the elegant etchings in it faintly visible in the light from their lanterns. "Always go for something tactile and solid instead of something mystical, that's what I say." 

"It's not that bad, Gilder." Lani said. She had occasionally used her strange, curved staff since more guardians were appearing, and obviously possessed some skill with it. "I don't mind using a weapon, but I understand how magic works. I find it more reliable." 

"To each their own." The red-clad pirate shrugged. "Our current system works out fine. You blast things with magic, I'll blast them with guns. And on that note..." He aimed a pistol at another silver-colored guardian that had appeared from around a far corner. 

* * * 

After about three hours, Aika began to worry. "Aern?" 

"Yes?" The Shwartzian had mostly been using spells to defend himself, but occasionally would use punches and kicks that were similar to the fighting arts used in Yafutoma. 

"Do you know where Gaed is? We seem to be sort of wandering aimlessly here." 

"I know he's towards the center...I can sense that he's there, and that's he alive. Protectorates are so tightly knit that the members can feel one another's presence, even when they're a goodly distance away." He looked up the dim hallway, red eyes reflective. "Gaed is like a brother. I know where he is, even though I have never been to Soltis before." 

"I remember this place fairly well enough to get to the center." Gilder said. "I have a knack for that sort of thing; put me someplace once, and I'll remember how it's laid out years later." He grinned. "Having a photographic memory comes in handy." 

"Is that why you can't remember the names of all the women you've been with?" Vyse asked blandly. 

"Having a selective memory helps at times too. If I don't remember their names, I don't need to remember any promises I've made." 

Lani rolled her eyes, but didn't comment. They walked on. 

Soon they reached the bizarre area of Soltis that involved a series of platforms. When somebody stepped on a small round section of a platform, they would vanish and appear on another one halfway across the room. Words were written on the platforms in the old Silvite language, but most of the group couldn't make them out. 

"This is stupid. Why would anybody design such a system?" Aika muttered. "And what if it worked wrong? What if it teleported you into the middle of a wall? I mean, that would really suck." 

"I don't think that's possible...the Silvites were very careful about such things." Fina bent to look at the writing at one particular platform. Old Silvite was a language she could read, but only slowly; she could speak it better than read it. "This one goes to "Block Delta"." She glanced around the room. "Now where is Block Delta?" 

"There," Aern pointed at a platform a good ways away, where writing could somewhat be seen from this distance. Smaller writing was above the doors. "I don't know what the doors say, but that sign above them says "Delta"." 

Fina squinted at the platform. "You have good eyes. I can barely make that out. Well, let's try going to Delta and see where we should go after that." 

Through the process of trial and error, they teleported from platform to platform, pausing at each to look in the doors at each particular block. Most of them appeared to once be living quarters or shops of some kind, but were all uninhabited. Eventually they reached a large door that seemed to lead off into another area. Aern confirmed that it lead the way they wanted to go. "Gaed seems closer now. I think if we head this way, we'll get to the center." 

"I think he's right." Gilder added. "I remember that this big door lead to some black weirdo hallway like the other one we went through earlier, and then that lead to the room where we ran into Ramirez." 

"The room that had the Gigas. So Gaed might be there?" Vyse stepped up to the doorway, and it slid open smoothly in front of him. "We might as well find out, we've already been down here almost four hours. Let's go." 

The group walked down the black hallway, their lanterns no longer being used. The inner part of Soltis seemed to contain a constant light source from the walls, and so they could conserve their moonstone lanterns for when they went back out into the old decomposing tunnels again. This particular hallway had black walls that curved up to form a dome ceiling. The floor was inlaid with white stone held together with some sort of glowing substance that served as mortar. Every few feet, a strange structure constructed of blue metallic stone was set in the exact center of the floor. What the bizarre structures did was beyond anybody in the group, even Fina. They soon reached the room at the far end, and entered the small antechamber beyond, to wind up facing a large silvery-white door that held the crest of six, the crest of silver magic. 

"He's in there, I know it...although...something doesn't seem right." Aern frowned, and glanced at Vyse. "I don't know why I have this strange feeling, but maybe we should be ready for anything." 

"We always are, Aern." Vyse pointed at the door with a cutlass. "You do the honors, we're right behind you." 

The Shwartzian took a deep breath, and then stepped up to the metallic white door. It slid open eerily without a sound, and then remained open. Aern gasped, and took a few tentative steps into the chamber. They all shuffled into the room, which was dim, as opposed to the rest of this area of Soltis. There was one main light source, and this is what made Aern react the way that he did. 

At the center of the room, was a large, pentagonal platform. At each of the five corners, the crests of five of the six known moons were placed, and on each of the five corners were large glowing gems of immense power: moon crystals. How they had gotten there, nobody knew...nobody even momentarily wondered, because of what was in the center of that glowing circle of multicolored light. 

A gray-black creature hovered above the platform, unmoving, except for occasional eddies of energy from the crystals that ruffled the white hair on its head and tail. Its body was wrapped in large black wings, its horned head bowed, but they all knew who it was. 

They had found Gaed. 

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm sorry! I know I haven't uploaded anything in a while, but I stopped in the middle of this chapter, and didn't have the motivation to continue it for about five months or so. I'm back to writing again (and on chapter 13), so hopefully there will be no more gaps in updates. --Annie_


	14. Chapter 13 -- Gaed

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 13 

** CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
Gaed**

"Gaed..." Aern breathed. "It's...him." His red eyes flickered about the platform, taking in the moon crystals, the strange twirling glyphs that circled the pillar of light, and the Shwartzian that was held within. "I don't understand...why is he there?" 

"Why are the moon cystals here?" Vyse asked of nobody in particular. "Weren't these things part of Zelos? I mean, after we blasted the hell out of that thing with our cannons, it shrunk and sort of clung to Ramirez...I thought that the mooncrystals were still in the Gigas when that happened..." Then he frowned. "But when Zelos disappeared after we killed it, Ramirez went with it. All that was left was his sword and the Silver Moon crystal that was in him. We threw those overboard as part of a funeral...but the other moon crystals?" He scratched at his unruly hair, completely baffled. "This just doesn't make sense." 

Fina looked at the platform. "But don't you remember? This platform was part of Zelos, and so were the moon crystals. Still, the Silver Moon crystal that's needed at the center isn't there. Instead, there's....a Shwartzian." She frowned slightly. "Could it possible that when a Black Moon crystal is where the Silver is supposed to be, this happens?" 

"That could be." Aern looked up at the other member of his Protectorate. "Gaed would be one of the few who knows how this device works. Although, I still don't understand why." He reached a hand out to the nearest crystal, which happened to be the diamond-shaped Red Moon crystal. "One one way to find out." He pulled the glowing crystal from its place on the platform, and looked up at Gaed. The other Shwartzian didn't move, although the cone of light around him flickered and wavered. Aern reached out and next removed the Blue Moon crystal. The barrier flickered more violently, and then disappeared entirely. Gaed's wings unfurled slightly, and then the Shwartzian fell to the platform below. 

Aern carefully handed the two moon crystals to Aika, and then went to his friend's aid. "Gaed? Gaed, are you all right?" 

Gaed's pupilless azure eyes opened slowly, and he slowly raised his dragonic head. "Aern? Vilew gai mer...?" He sat up slowly, holding something in each of his large, clawed hands. One was a sword, curved and fluted in only a way that could only be described as alien, and yet it seemed familiar. One was something that seemed small in comparison, that glowed white while held tightly in the creature's large palm. 

"Meros gae Soltis. You're in Soltis, Gaed." Aern supplied. "We found you inside Zelos' chamber." 

Gaed glanced around him. "I'm still in Soltis? And why are we speaking in the Common tongue?" He hung his head, letting his eyes slide shut, the white crest of his hair ruffling slightly from the movement. "That's right...I remember now." He raised his face, as if looking up at his Protectorate member through his closed eyelids. "I failed, Aern. I couldn't find the Silvite that was in here. All I managed to get were these after Zelos fled here..." He held up the sword and opened the palm of his other hand to reveal a small, glowing sphere. 

It was a Silver Moon crystal. 

"Zelos is basically dead, not even all the crystals can revive it...but it protected what was left of its last master and brought them back here. It was the Silvite, Aern...he had summoned the Gigas, using his own crystal." He sighed, opening his glowing azure eyes. "I would never think that a Silvite would repeat the mistakes of his anscestors." He stood slowly, as if noticing the others for the first time. "I see you brought friends, and now I know why we're speaking Common. Wait..." He shakily stepped down from the platform and walked over to Fina, his talons clicking on the white metallic stone of the chamber. "You are a Silvite...a Silvite female..." 

Fina, who was doing her best not to weep, put a hand to her eyes to hide her tears. "You...you're holding Ramirez...what's left of Ramirez..." 

"I am sorry, very sorry...I did not kill him, however. I'm sorry if my posession of his crystal brings you pain, but I needed it. As for the sword..." He shrugged. "It is a fine blade, of Silvite design. Such things are rare now, so I figured I would bring it back to Gen Gulan to be placed in a museum of honor." He bowed his head. "I know it's painful, but I think you had best keep these yourself." Gaed held out his clawed hands, presenting the sword and the crystal to her. 

The Silvite pulled her away from her face, and looked at the two items through blurred vision. Then she gently took them from his hands, cradling them to her chest. "T-thank you." 

Gaed placed a massive hand on her shoulder kindly, even if his gargoyle-like face didn't permit him to express his empathy otherwise. "I think I will be thanking you in time. You are a Silvite, and you can help our people." 

Fina nodded, but didn't say much else. Vyse stepped up next to her and looked at her tears with an unreadable expression. "Fina...will you be okay?" When she didn't respond, he sighed and took the sword from her fingers, putting an arm around her shoulders. "It's fine now. We've found who we were looking for, mission accomplished. We can get out of this place now. I'll carry his sword, you can carry his crystal." He glanced up at Gaed. "I'm not exactly sure how you came to get here, but you can explain on the way back. My crew is waiting. Can you walk? You look a bit weak." 

"I will be fine, thank you. I will not resume my normal form just yet, however. There are ladies present, and I'm somewhat...uh..naked." 

"They know, Gaed. I've told them about us." Aern said. 

Wordlessly, Vyse lead Fina from the chamber, still clasping an arm around her trembling shoulders. Aika followed close behind, with an empethetic look on her face. Gaed lumbered along next, wings folded, Aern next to him. Lani and Gilder took up the rear, having grabbed the remaining moon crystals. 

"This is the Vyse we really know." Gilder murmured quietly to Lani. "The crybaby you saw earlier was only because he bonked his head. He always, and I mean always cares about everybody else before himself. That's why so many people look up to him as a captain. He's managed to do in two years what it took me ten to do." 

"A good heart can always win out over charisma, Gilder." Lani said, just as quietly. "Maybe people could learn something from our young friend." 

"Sure they could, just as long as they don't realize that he's still learning himself." Gilder glanced ahead at Vyse, who was talking soothingly to Fina. All traces of rougishness were gone from Gilder's face, and for once he seemed serious. "I still envy him, though...for all that he and his friends have gone through, they've accomplished so much. Sometimes I consider myself damn lucky just to have fought alongside him and his crew." 

The Yafutoman smiled. "I consider myself lucky that he's willing to be my friend." 

Gilder nodded. "Yeah. Things like that are the real treasure so many people like myself look for. I'm glad that I found it, at least." 

* * * 

The trip back to the Delphinus was uneventful. For some reason, the Guardians didn't disturb them. Perhaps it was because the moon crystals were no longer in place, and the Guardians were no longer empowered. Perhaps it was the fact that they avoided a group that contained in essence two Silvites...or at least two Silver Moon crystals. Whatever the reason was, it only took them two hours to return to the ship. On the way back, Gaed told his story. 

"When Soltis rose above the clouds, I knew that a Silvite was involved. Aern was searching the area near our homeland, and Eleah was searching near the Blue moon. I was the only one nearby that could investigate, although the ascention of Soltis caused all the continents to shift slighty, and the rifts to grow or shrink." 

"Trust me, I noticed that. I think it'd be hard to miss." Aern smiled. "Go on." 

"I could not find a way to enter Soltis at first, since it had a shield erected above it. I saw various ships attempting to get through, but none succeeded. I thought I would not get through, so I circled nearby, pondering the problem. 

"Before I could come to a solution, the Great Silver Shrine hurled down from the heavens and shattered the shield with its impact. I felt dispaired, knowing that unless there was truly a Silvite elsewhere on the planet, then all of them would have died from this act." He sighed. "There were so few left...why did they give their lives away?" 

"The Elders did it for us." Fina said, the first words she had spoken in a while. "They wanted us to stop Ramirez from using the rains again. The area under the Yellow moon had been pretty much destroyed by him, so..." She trailed off, shrugged, and continued walking. 

"Ah, I understand now, but it's still a shame. Anyway, once the shield was gone, I flew in past a few of the sentinels that were guarding the entry towers, and entered the continent. I recall as I entered, some sort of battle was going on overhead, although I did not realize what it was until I finally reached the center of Soltis, to Zelos' chamber. 

"The chamber was empty, meaning Zelos was gone. There was also no sign of the Silvite that had summoned him. I know only Silvites can summon Zelos, just as only Shwartzians can summon Mortian. I feared that the rains would be used again, that Zelos would destroy more lives...but before I could leave again, Zelos returned...or what was left of it. Zelos is a creature of Silver, and can reshape itself, being constructed of nanites." 

"What's a nanite?" Aika asked, confused. 

"A nanite is a very tiny, microscopic machine. Silver creatures such as that one you call Cupil are made of them. They can reform into various shapes, both solid and liquid, and use moonstones as fuel." He continued walking down the ancient tunnels of Soltis, even as he continued with his story. "Zelos was so badly damaged that it could not repair itself. It is essencially dead, although it was never truly alive. It returned, carrying with it the six moon crystals that had empowered it. This included a Silver moon crystal, no doubt having came from its previous master, the Silvite I had been searching for. Chagrined, I picked up the Silver crystal and the sword that Zelos had returned with, and made my way back to the entrance of Soltis. Unfortunately, partway there, I could feel the entire continent shuddering and trembling. I feared the worst. 

"My fears were not ill-founded. When I reached the outside, I was nearly crushed by the air pressure. I used my Black Moon crystal to remedy this, and took in my surroundings. I was on the surface of the planet; Soltis had sunk back below the clouds, which is where I assume we are now." 

"We are." Aern said. "But we had to come here to get you." 

"I appreciate it. Knowing that I simply could not fly that far while using my crystal, I decided to return to Zelos' chamber. I knew that the Gigas had slept there for aeons, and I assumed I could do the same. Using a technique similar to that which all Shwartzians used to place ourselves in suspended animation, I used the powers of the six moon crystals, and the crystal within my body. The next thing I knew, you were all standing around me." His purple-blue eyes glowed softly in the faint light as he looked ahead, down the passageway that lead to the entry tower's lift. "You said you have a ship waiting, Vyse?" 

"Yeah. We've been down here about eight hours or so now, but they have orders to stick around another four before taking off. I know they're still out there." His skyseer patch glinted in the light from the Silver moonstone lanterns. "They may be a bit surprised to see you, though. Most of them have never seen Aern in his...dragon thingy...uh, form." He frowned. "What exactly do you transform into?" 

"In our language, it is called a _Mivaeria_...plural, _Mivarae_. The term doesn't translate very well into Arcadia's common tongue, but the closest terms would be "storm skimmer" or "maelstrom surfer". Every Shwartzian has the ability to transform once they hit puberty. Before that, their bodies do not have the mental discipline to manipulate the magic within their Black mooncrystals." Gaed stopped at the end of the hall, wings folded bat-like on his back. "Ah yes, this thing." 

"Don't let Gilder touch it. Things will pop out and try to kick our asses again." Aika smirked. 

"You act as if I blew us all to bits. C'mon, I just was trying a few things." He sighed, seeming a bit jittery. "I wish I could have a smoke. For some reason, I just can't picture lighting up in this creepy place." 

"Cigarettes stink anyway." Aika said, wrinkling her nose. 

"So does that hair crap you use to keep those braids up and at attention." He tilted his head back slightly to glance at her through smoked lenses with a mocking expression . 

"Guys, later." Vyse looked at the panel that activated the strange Silvite elevator. "Jeez, I wish I was paying attention more when Gilder was poking at this before." 

Wordlessly, Gaed reached out with one clawed hand, and pressed a few buttons almost daintily with his slender fingers. The now-familiar humming sound was heard from behind the door, and then the bronze slabs slid back to reveal the waiting lift. 

"Uh, thanks." Vyse stepped onto the elevator, the others following suit. 

Aern's protective dome of low-pressure air was erected again, and the seven of them made their way out of Shrine Island's brother tower and onto the surface of Soltis again, where the Delphinus was waiting. The group stepped onto the lift, and Vyse banged on the large steel support shaft with a particular pattern, the pommel of his cutlass making a large resounding echo as it banged against the metal. At that pre-arranged signal, the lift chugged its way back up into the small alclove within the Delphinus' bow, albeit hesitantly. Once the doors slid shut with a definate locking sound, a pair of doors behind them opened up to allow the air pressure within the chamber to return to normal levels. At this point, Aern took down his barrier. 

"Finally...I was starting to get tired." He sighed, rubbing at his chest almost as if it hurt him. "Gaed, you had best stand in the middle of us all, just so people don't think you're out to attack them." 

"I know, Aern." The other Shwartzian's tone was patient, chiding...almost like the sort of voice one uses to address a child. Still, he stepped towards the middle of the group. "Ready." 

Vyse rapped on the door with his cutlass, and the two crewmembers behind it activated the mechinism to slide the twin doors open. One was a newcomer, the other was an old crewmember from the Albatross. Vyse's old crewmate started when he saw Gaed standing in the middle of the group. 

"It's all right, Danson." the scarred blue rogue assured him. "That monster behind me is the reason we came down here. He's not gonna hurt anybody...although he probably could use a blanket or a long coat or something. Don't want a naked guy running through my ship." He paused, waiting for the gawking crewman to respond. "Now, Danson." 

Danson blinked. "Uh? Oh, sorry Cap'n. Aye. I'll go get a blanket." He turned and jogged out of the bow's loading bay, where the lift system was situated. The other crew member continued to stare at Gaed, although it was more in wonder than in shock. 

"I don't know what he is, but he's pretty cool." She said in an awed voice. "Captain, who or what is he?" 

"My name is Gaed." The Shwartzian rumbled. "I am a member of Aern's Protectorate." 

"Uh, that is....he's a friend of Aern's. I think I introduced most of the crew to Aern during the storm yesterday." Vyse's eyes flickered to the door as Danson returned carrying a large blanket. "Oh, good. That will do until we find Gaed some clothing." 

The crewmember boldly reached out to hand the rough woolen blanket to Gaed, although the look on his face indicated that he still wasn't too sure about the creature. The dragonic Shwartzian took the blanket in his long-fingered clawed hands and wrapped it around his proportionally slim waist. There was a blurring then, almost as if things were moving too quickly for the eye to see, and the tall shape shifted to melt into the smaller form of a man. He had pale skin and red eyes like Aern, although his hair was a dark blue color instead of purple. Gaed's features were still somewhat handsome, although not quite as much as Aern's. It was apparent that Gaed was ordinary looking among his race. 

Even though they had been travelling with Aern, none in the group had seen him go through the transformation. It was just as shocking to them as it was to the two crewmembers who watched in awe. 

"Moons! Did you see that?" Danson breathed. 

"See it? I don't think I'll ever forget it." Marta, the other crewmember, shook her head. "That's not something you see every day, not even on Captain Vyse's ship." 

"I have a certain reputation." Vyse said blandly in way of explanation to Gaed. "I think because of you and Aern, that reputation is growing." He sighed. "Well, let's get you some clothes so you don't have to stand around in a blanket." 

* * * 

"This is much more comfortable." Gaed sighed, plucking at the front of the shirt he wore. He was garbed in standard Mid-Ocean sailor fare, made mostly of cotton and leather. Even with his navy blue hair and red eyes, he seemed to fit more with the group than Aern did. "If I had to wrap that itchy blanket around myself for another moment, I would have screamed. I'm allergic to wool." 

He, and the others, were seated in the main dining room. Nearby, Urala was washing glasses and chatting idly with Hans, who was off shift. Aside from that, no other crew members were in the mess hall. Sending Gaed with Aern and Lani to get some clothing, Vyse, Aika and Fina had returned to their posts on the bridge until they were safely out of the Vortex and back into Mid-Sky. While Vyse and Aika had met up with the others at the mess hall, Fina had stated that she wanted to go to her quarters for a while, and that she would join them there later. In light of the discovery of Ramirez's sword and crystal, they didn't argue and let her be alone. 

No one knew where Gilder went, but he had rejoined them in the mess hall after they were partway to Sailor's Isle to be refueled. Aika had wanted to stop back at Windmill/Pirate's Isle for this, but Vyse had insisted that his father simply didn't have the moonstones to refuel a large battleship such as the Delphinus. 

"This ship is enormous." Gaed commented, already feeling at ease, more so than Aern originally did. "I had not known that island-dwellers were capable of making them like this. The last time I saw one of this size, it was before Zelos had ruined the world with the Rains." 

"We're not quite as backwards as we were right after the apocolypse." Lani said lightly. "Valua has many large ships, and this one is from Valua...even though it is in the posession of a Mid-Ocean captain and crew." 

"Technically, I'm still "borrowing" it, Lani." Vyse was toying with his skyseer patch, turning it over in his hands. Most agreed that he looked better without it. "Enrique hasn't asked for it back yet, but he hasn't said that it's 100% mine either. So, I think that we're still running on that agreement we made when we first met: I get to use the Delphinus until the Emperor needs it back." He set the bizzare glass eyepatch down on the table with a gentle clinking sound. "This is a large warship. I hope he never will need it back." 

"Better in the hands of Blue Rogues than in the hands of generals." Gilder took a puff off his cigarette. "But I don't see anybody going to war anytime soon. Valua is still cleaning up the messes that its previous government made, and since they're rebuilding their towns and recovering from the Rains, I don't think they're in the mood to go to war anytime soon." 

"The world seems to be much better now than it was when I was a child." Aern said quietly. He had said little since they had returned with Gaed, even though members of the group had been speaking to him. Except Gaed. Gaed seemed to say little to the other member of his Protectorate. 

"Fina sometimes tells us about how the world seemed to be when she was living in the Great Silver Shrine." Aika, as usual, was cheerful about having somebody new on board. "She said that it was hard to tell the differences between people, and how they behaved. The Silvites could see people and their cities under the various moons, but they really couldn't interpret what was happening very well. Fina got a real culture shock when she travelled down to Arcadia and met up with us." Then she frowned. "Come to think of it, she still hasn't met us here. Isn't she hungry?" 

"She's probably still sulking. You know how moody women get." Gilder wilted slightly under Vyse's icy stare. "Uh, not sulking. I meant to say, "upset"." The taller pirate didn't used to shrink from his younger friend's anger, but while Vyse hadn't grown in size he had in fact grown in other ways that Gilder respected. That, and he knew that Vyse could wipe the walls with him if he really felt like it. 

"Gilder, you really should learn to think before you speak about women, especially my friends." Vyse shook his head, sighing ruefully. "At one minute, you're Mr. Manners, the next you're a complete chauvenast jerk. For somebody who claims to be a gentleman, you really don't know how to treat certain people." 

Gilder removed his smoked lenses and pinched at the bridge of his nose. Then he looked at Vyse. "You were raised one way, I was another. We're not the same person, Vyse. You have your way of speaking to people, and so do I. Don't get on my case about it, because I'm not going to change. Besides, we've had this conversation before and it really gets nowhere." He slid the glasses back onto his handsome face. "Well, at least I think it gets nowhere." 

"You're right, it doesn't." The scarred blue rogue sighed, and stood. "Still, I think I'll go look in on my "moody woman friend" who is "sulking". Aika, if anybody needs me, you know where to find me." 

Aika nodded and watched her best friend leave the mess hall. "Good. If he wasn't going up there to cheer her up soon, I was about to go myself." She paused thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, she probably would appreciate Vyse's company more than mine right now." 

"Lovers can comfort each other better than friends can." Gaed commented. "Seeing them makes me wonder where my Eleah is." 

The redhead laughed. "Oh, they're not dating, even though they're pretty close. Fina even has a thing for Vyse, but she'd sooner die than tell him. Vyse..." She sighed, shrugging a bit helplessly. "...well, what's to say? I know that he likes Fina as a friend, but I don't think that there's any real interest there." 

"They're the perfect couple that doesn't know it." the red-clad pirate murmured. "A lot of people agree that they should hook up." 

"Don't forget that Vyse has never had a girlfriend. I don't think he can read the signs well." Aika sighed again. "Or maybe he can, and he's just good at playing dumb." She made a rueful face. "Whatever it is, I wish he would just knock it off and let himself be happy. Or at least let Fina be happy." 

Gilder patted her kindly on the back, gently smiling at her in a way that few had seen before. He was not known for empathy usually. "I'm glad to see that you're done chasing after something you know you can't have. I think you're finally grown up, at least in that instance." 

She gave a wan smile. "Well, after more than a decade of trying, I have to admit defeat. At least for now." Something about the way she said it indicated that it was not entirely so, but she was attempting to be brave anyway. She looked down at her half-eaten plate of fish, and then continued with her meal as if the conversation never happened. 

* * * 

Stepping up to the door of Fina's quarters, Vyse halted in the act of knocking. What could he possibly say to her that could make her feel better? After moving on, Fina had once again been reminded of the pain that her best friend had brought her. While he had only seen Ramirez as a monster, Vyse knew that Fina had become familiar with another person entirely. Rubbing at his jaw where his skyseer patch usually was, he mentally kicked himself for not at least picking it back up before he left. Hopefully, Aika would see it there and grab it for him. 

Knocking, he cleared his throat. "Fina?" 

There was no answer behind the door. 

Rapping his knuckles against the metal door again, he repeated himself. "Fina? It's me. I just wanted to know if you were okay." The silence behind the door made his confidence waver. He knew that he somehow had the right kind of charisma to put people in a pleasant mood, the ability to heal a wounded soul and concience, although how he ever really came around to doing so was beyond him. Vyse simply talked and smiled to whoever it was, and for some reason, that seemed to work most of the time. Still, each time he had to console somebody, he was almost at a loss at what to do. He would see somebody in pain and then suddenly feel like them himself, without even wanting to. 

It was something he hated, something that made him feel weak and boyish. It was a natural reaction, though, and whenever such a situation came along, it seemed as if he was speaking to more instill confidence in himself than the other person. Yet, just rambling on with a smile on his face made both he and the other feel better. 

Usually. 

"Fina," he said almost patiently. "I don't like to see you like this. But I won't come barging into your room either. Please let me in." 

The voice that came from the other side of the door was muffled slightly. "Come in." 

Opening the door just enough to let him slip in, Vyse glanced around the room. As always, Fina's quarters were neat and tidy, and slightly femenine. The long, strangely curved sword that had once belonged to Ramirez sat propped up in the corner of the room, out of the way and partially out of sight. The electric lamp on her desk was turned on, adding to the light of the silver moon crystal that sat on the bedside table. At least she wasn't sitting in the dark. He shut the door behind him carefully. "Everybody is waiting for you." 

Fina didn't answer. She sat on her bed, cradling a pillow against her chest. Turned slightly so she could glance at the dusky clouds rolling past through the small window, it was hard for Vyse to see her expression from this angle. Her blue bandana sat next to her on the bed in a crumpled heap, leaving her blonde hair bare. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" he ventured, not entirely sure of what he was saying or doing. Without entirely realizing it, his legs brought him over to stand next to her, where he waited for a moment before speaking again. "I'm worried about you, Fina. Please say something." 

"You are?" Her voice was tired, worn. "Of course you are." She sighed, turning her face away from the window and resting her chin on the top of the pillow she was hugging. "Just like I was worried about you last week." Her expression was strange, a mixture of emotions that seemed to all mix up into one conglomerate of misery. It wasn't often that Fina was miserable. 

He sat down on the bed next to her, folding his hands in his lap, staring ahead at the wall. "I know you were. And I appreciated that, Fina...I really did. I would say that I can relate, but...what happened with me turned out with a happy ending." 

Fina hurled the pillow across the room almost vehemently. "But what about ME? Why can't I have a happy ending? Why do these things keep reminding me of who and what I am?" 

Vyse turned his head to look at her. "Fina..." 

"I hate it. I hate it all." She balled her hands into fists, trembling slightly while her face contorted into one of morose anger. "The whole thing with Ramirez, the death of the Elders, and now this Shwartzian problem where I have to save their people..." She put her fists up to her cheeks, gritting her teeth. "It makes me feel so alone...I'm all alone." Bordering on hysteria, she gripped at her face, digging her nails into her smooth flesh. "I hate it all!" 

Alarmed slightly by her behavior, Vyse reached out to take her hands away from her face before they drew blood. They still left pink prickmarks from her delicate, medium-length fingernails. "Fina, please calm down. Don't hurt yourself." 

Her green eyes flashed angrily at him. "Don't you know what it's like? You're Vyse the Legend. You're the man that's saved the world, and yet you yourself said you don't want to be placed on a pedastool because it's lonely up there. You just want to be a person, just like everybody else." Her lower lip trembled slightly. "Don't you understand where I'm coming from?" 

He nodded and took her smaller hands in his large, tanned ones. "Of course I understand. Sometimes I feel the same way. No, I feel the same way pretty often, but then I think about how I'm not alone." He smiled softly, in a reasurring way. "You're not alone." 

Fina simply crumbled then, her shoulders slumping forward, her long bangs falling in her face. "I'm not alone...because you're here." she moaned in a voice that was thick with tears. 

Vyse gave a small chuckle that sounded more like one of self-pity to himself than anything else. He knew where this conversation might go, how it would make both of them feel uncomfortable. No, how it would make him feel uncomfortable. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't blind. He could see the signs, both from Aika and Fina. And he didn't want to follow up with one in fear of wounding the other. And yet, he heard himself say, "I'm here. I'm always here, and I'll always be here." It was almost as if his voice was betraying him, letting too much of him show through. 

The Silvite pulled her hands away from his and held them cradled against her chest, between her breasts. It was something she always did when upset. "It...it's good to hear you say that." 

He reached out and carefully brushed a few hairs out of her face. "I hoped it would be. Are you feeling any better?" 

"I...don't know." That seemed truthful enough, at least. She was still trembling, her cheeks pink and eyes full of unshed tears. "Vyse?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Would you...?" She turned her face away, the pink on her cheeks heightening a bit. "Nothing. Never mind." 

Not even thinking about it, he edged closer and wrapped his arms around her. Fina rested her face against his chest, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other around his somewhat slim torso. "Thank you." she said in a voice barely above a whisper. Before he could answer, she began to cry. He quietly sat there and let her, knowing that she would feel better in a few moments. Still, the fact that she was so upset had dampened his own spirits, as it always did. What really added fuel to the fire, however, was how ironic the situation was. A few days ago, Fina had attempted to console him. Now, he was here, doing what he could for her. 

Sometimes his own humanity bothered him, tore at his insides even as it was tearing at Fina's insides at this very moment. As he held her trembling form, he thought of how he wished he could do this so many times before, just peacefully hold her against him, not worry about anything else at the moment. And yet, there was always worry, Vyse thought as he rested his cheek against her pale golden hair. He wondered how long this charade would or could go on, how long he could pretend to play dumb. He wasn't pretending here, not able to act false in front of somebody who was wounded. It just wasn't in his nature to do that. 

Gently brushing his lips against the top of her head, just barely so she wouldn't notice, he spoke softly. "I'm alone so often, Fina, that sometimes I wonder why it doesn't drive me insane. Sometimes the world seems so huge, and you seem to be so tiny and insignificant...like a child that's lost its family in a busy city. At times I don't understand why things have to be that way...but then I realize that it's only part of being human." 

"Is that why I can't stop crying?" Fina's voice was muffled, her cheek pressed against the area above his heart. 

"Probably. I think you're handling it better than I would. I think you're a stronger person than I am, Fina. You don't lie to yourself and say it's okay...you just admit it and then accept it." 

She moved her face slightly to look up at him. "I wouldn't say so. I'm fairly weak." 

"Look at it this way, then: you just came from a stressful place where the very air could crush you, where you were casting a lot of magic. You're slightly in magical shock, you're worried about your promise to Aern, and now you've just recieved a momento of Ramirez." He sighed as she squeezed her eyes shut, burned by the words he was saying. "I know," he said soothingly. "..I know. But if it was me, I would be more than just upset. I would be climbing the walls, raving and insane." 

"Mmm." It wasn't necissarily a sound of agreement, but at least it wasn't a sound of weeping. 

"When we get to Sailor's Isle, I think we'll actually stay at one of the inns there instead of sleeping on the ship. You can have one of Polly's nice hot meals, and then have a warm bath at your room...and I can even buy you a new book to read from the market, if you'd like." They weren't empty promises. He actually intended on doing them, wanting to do anything to lessen her depression. 

"Thank you, that would be very nice." Fina sat with her eyes closed, almost contentedly resting her face against him. "I've never done this before..." 

"Done what? I've given you a hug before, Fina." 

"No, I mean I've never sat and listened to anybody's heart before. For some reason, it's very soothing." She sighed and smiled. "Right now I don't feel alone, and I feel safe too. It's a good feeling." 

"That's good, I'm glad you're feeling better." He didn't move, though. He didn't want to move. 

"I am." She paused. "Vyse?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Can you just sit here with me, a little longer? Until at least we get to Sailor's Isle?" 

He chuckled again, except this time it didn't seem like self-pity to Vyse...more like an expression of contentment. This time he kissed the top of her head a bit more soundly, but more of a brotherly sort of way, so he wouldn't betray himself. "Of course. I'm not going anywhere." 

And he didn't, not for a long time. 


	15. Chapter 14 The Dark Rift

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 14 

** CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
The Dark Rift**

They remained at Sailor's Isle for the latter part of the next day. While Aern and Gaed both did seem somewhat anxious to take Fina back to their home continent, they also respected her feelings, and didn't want to push her into anything too quickly. While passing through the reef into southern Nasrian skies, on towards Cape Victory, they both discussed this with her privately. 

"We know that it's a large task to do," Gaed was saying. "but we don't want to make it too stressful for you." 

Fina nodded, seeming a bit dubious. "I appreciate that, it's just that I really wish I knew what I had to do." 

Aern, who had been sitting quietly nearby for most of the conversation, shrugged a bit helplessly. "That's just it, Fina...we aren't sure. Gaed and I don't know, and I doubt Eleah knows either. I don't think our Protectorate was authorized to hear that information. Many things dealing with the Council are kept quiet outside its ranks." 

"That's funny. Your government likes to keep secrets from its people?" 

"Many governments do." Gaed rumbled in his deep voice. "But rest assured, we Shwartzians are of polite and ceremonious sorts. Whatever will happen, I am sure that it will be regarded as something of high importance, and you and your friends will be treated with the utmost respect and courtesy." 

Fina smiled slightly. "That makes me feel a little bit better. After seeing how polite you two are, I have a feeling that the rest of your people are the same. I think I can be prepared for whatever happens." 

Gaed returned her smile with a reasurring nod. "Good. In that case, I'll ask your captain to continue nonstop to the Dark Rift, and to not stop in Esparanza for the night. Pardon my apparent impatience in this matter, but this is something that has waited far too many centuries." 

"That's all right, Gaed...I understand. Go talk to Vyse about it." She reached out to pat Cupil on the head, who was nuzzling her cheek soothingly, detecting its mistress' unease as always. "I'll be ready when we get there." 

The indigo-haired man nodded, and exited the room quietly. Aern did not accompany him, but instead came to stand next to Fina. 

"Fina...?" 

"Yes, Aern?" 

"Where I live.....Gen Gulan...you would have never seen it, nor been able to learn about its people from where you lived in the Great Silver Shrine, correct?" 

"Yes, that's right. The Elders must have known, but never did mention it." 

"That's what I thought." He continued on, his red eyes fixed on her in that penetrating way they always did, as if he was seeing directly into her soul. "I just want you to know that if you have any questions, concerns, frustrations or the like that deal with my homeland and my people, don't hesitate to ask me." His eyes lowered. "Me, Fina...not Gaed. I know he's the Sage of my Protectorate, but..." Aern shook his head, dismissing the matter. "Just ask me anything. I consider you my friend now, and would be happy to help." He turned to leave. 

"Aern?" 

"Yes?" He stopped, partway though the act of stepping out of the doorway that lead to the main hallway. 

Fina's brow was furrowed, her head cocked slightly to the side. "What's wrong with Gaed?" 

His response wasn't immediate, as if he couldn't quite place the answer himself. When he responded, it was quick and quiet, given as his long legs carried him out the door. "He's different somehow." 

* * * 

"Whaddya mean, different?" Aika asked, her face contorted into one of almost comical puzzlement. 

"He seems decent to me." Vyse said. "A bit stiff at times, but I sort of thought that was because of the fact that he normally speaks a different language." 

"Aern didn't say, and didn't seem like he wanted to discuss it either." Fina chewed at her lower lip worridly. "Aern mentioned that Gaed was a good friend of his, but if Aern thinks that he's acting funny, maybe we shouldn't trust him entirely." 

"One would say that about Aern, though." Vyse said pointedly. "We've only known him for a few days. He seems to be decent, but..." 

Aika frowned sourly. "I don't think we have to worry about that. Aern seems like the honest type. I mean, we only have known Lani for a few days and we trust her well enough, so why not trust Aern equally?" 

"I know, but I'm just saying, Aika...." Vyse sighed. "Well, this is my decision on it: we treat and trust both Shwartzians the same. Gaed just might be a bit short with people normally, or maybe getting stuck down in Soltis for a couple of months made him a bit wacky. There's no reason to jump to conclusions here." 

The Silvite nodded. "Yes, you're probably right. Gaed may not be overly comfortable riding with pirates, or even not comfortable around island-dwellers. Or maybe he's just nervous about me, because I'm important to Shwartzia." 

"I can try asking Aern about this if you want." Aika offered. "He's more comfortable around me than anybody else...probably because he's known me a few days longer than he's known you guys." 

"Hold off on that thought for now." Vyse said, resting his foot up on the meeting room's table and leaning back in his chair. "If Aern has a problem with Gaed, it's probably personal, and doesn't deal with us." He glanced up to the large double metal doors that granted entry to the room just as they opened. Gilder walked in, flicking a half-finished cigarette. The Delphinus' captain frowned in response to this. "Gilder, I've told you not to drop your ashes all over my ship." 

"Well sorry if I can't be as sanitary as you want, Auntie Vyse, but I'm only human." He sat down in a chair to join them. "So what's up?" 

"We were just wondering about Gaed." Fina said. "Aern was saying that--" 

"--He's really weird?" Gilder interjected. "Anybody could've told you that. I've kept my eye on him since he came on board, just because something just doesn't sit right in my gut about that guy." He took a drag off his cigarette. "Maybe it's because he's a friggin' egotistical jerk. He walks around the decks like he owns the damn ship or something. Not to mention, he's too nice." 

"Is that a bad thing?" Aika mused in a joking manner. 

"Well, it's one thing to be raised to have good manners....y'know, do things like hold doors for old ladies or to try not to fart at the dinnertable. But this guy goes beyond that. Sometimes I think he smiles so much that his face is gonna crack. It's like he constantly think he's posing for a goddamn photograph, so he has to be Mr. Nice and Clean." The red-clad pirate snorted. "That's why it's a bad thing. It doesn't seem natural." 

"Well think of it this way, Gilder...if you were on board with a bunch of unfamiliar people, and you really needed something from one of them, wouldn't you put on your best face and play the gentleman?" 

He shook his head, blowing a stream of smoke from his nostrils. "I am a gentleman, Aika...and a gentleman knows that you've just gotta be yourself and not stress things too much when you're around others. Right Vyse?" 

"Don't ask me, I don't practice Gilderism." He folded his hands behind his head. "But if you think Gaed is weird, keep in mind that Aern's also really polite...almost to the point where he's perfect. Maybe all Shwartzians are like that." 

Gilder snubbed out the end of his cigarette on the aluminum tabletop, ignoring Vyse's disapproving stare. "Eh, maybe. You're the captain, so I can't tell you what to do....but I myself am gonna keep an eye on this Gaed guy. The moment he does anything fishy, he'll be staring down a pair of pistols before he can even blink." 

* * * 

Despite Gilder's unease and Aern's remark, Gaed did nothing unusual on the way towards the Dark Rift. He occasionally asked Fina questions about her life in the Great Silver Shrine, but didn't seem to mean anything by it; it was more like he was simply making small talk. When they arrived at the coordinates that marked the swirling entry to the Dark Rift, Gaed addressed Vyse. 

"I will change into Mivaeria form and lead you the proper way through the rift. Aern will remain on deck as backup, so he can guide your crew in case they lose sight of me. I will carry a light, however, so you should be able to spot me fairly well." 

"Sounds good to me. Will the trip be as rough as it normally is through the Dark Rift?" 

"Yes and no. At first, the storm will be as fierce as it always does. When the Dark Rift, as you call it, senses a Black Moon Crystal, it opens the way down to Gen Gulan. At that point, the air nearby will be not only calm, but clear as well...and the trip down will go much smoother." 

"Good. My crew really dislikes the Dark Rift. We had to go through once, and once was more than enough for everybody. Normally, we sail over it to keep everybody happy." 

Gaed smiled slightly. "Then mission accomplished, because the rift is there to keep people away from Shwartzia." He nodded sharply. "Good, then it's settled. I will go to transform now. Aern will notify you when I'm ready." He turned and strode out of the bridge, and on towards the temporary quarters he was given. 

Aern, who had been standing nearby quietly, watched him go with a frown. "I was going to guide you myself, but Gaed insisted. He is the leader of our Protectorate, so I won't argue with him." He sighed. "But still..." 

"I think I understand how you feel. You found Fina, so why should Gaed seem like the hero?" 

"Exactly." He sighed. "It doesn't matter...it's just a personal thing, not important in the grand scheme of things. Let's continue on, Vyse; I'm sure the Council will be glad to see us." 

Holding a silver moonstone lantern, Gaed circled up ahead of the Delphinus, right before the entryway to the Dark Rift. He seemed the least bit concerned of the nearby storm that had torn so many ships to shreds. Signalling with his lantern, the dragonic creature began to fly into the rift. 

"Follow him slowly, Vyse." Aern's voice came in thinly over the talk tube. The purple-haired Shwartzian stood on the deck, his dark cloak whipping about him in the wind. "While we don't want to lose him, I'd rather not run him over." 

"You heard the man. Engines at docking speed, and don't give it any more juice until I say so." Vyse himself held the wheel, his helmsman far too nervous to pilot the ship into the Rift. He gritted his teeth as the ship slowly made its way into the ominous darkness that was the Dark Rift. "Here we go..." 

Propellors whirling slowly, the Delphinus pushed its way through thick black clouds and fast-moving winds. The ship trembled and shook from the strange changes in air pressure that no other storm could produce. The crew on bridge were quiet and withdrawn, all uncomfortable with where they were and yet none wanting to argue with their captain. Fina especially looked pale as she tightly gripped at her station's console. 

"Are you all right?" Vyse murmured to her, quietly so the other crew members wouldn't take notice. 

"Fine. Just...nervous." 

"It'll be over soon." He looked up ahead, and frowned. They had entered one of the still pockets of air, where surreal islands shaped by the harsh winds floated quietly, dotted here and there by the ragged remains of downed ships. He could see the strange glowing plants, the shipwrecks, Aern standing on deck, even the dark swirling clouds in the distance, but the one thing he was looking for was missing. 

"Aern?" Vyse shouted into the tube. "Where did Gaed go?" 

"I don't know..." Aern's voice sounded bewildered and slightly embarassed. "He was right here in front of us, and I could still sense him, but now...I don't know. Maybe he cut right through to Gen Gulan." A few strange words came through the talk tube, alien-sounding to Vyse. Then he realized that Aern was swearing in his own language. 

"Can you take us through?" Vyse asked. 

Aern's stream of profanity stopped. "Yes, just allow me to....wait a moment. I see somebody coming." He stepped away from the tube, to take a few steps towards the center of the deck. A figure was gliding towards them, although it held no lantern. 

"Is that Gaed?" Aika asked of nobody in particular. 

"I don't know. Hans, full stop. We're not moving for now." Vyse looked out the windows of the bridge, watching as Aern shouted up to the Shwartzian circling ahead. By his body language, it seemed as if he was trying to get the flying creature to land on deck. Appearing frustrated, Aern turned to Vyse and motioned to him to come out on deck. 

"Why does he want us out there?" Fina looked at Aika. 

"Don't look at me, I'm as clueless as you are." 

"Aika, take the helm, just in case we get going again. Gilder, let's go outside and see what's up." 

Gilder patted one of the pistols slung in his holster. "Meet and greet defense?" 

"Meet and greet defense. Be on your guard. Something's funny here." The scarred blue rogue lead Gilder out through the bridge and down to the deck's doors. 

Outside, the wind was surprisingly calm, although a bit cold. Aern stood, shouting at the circling Mivaeria, his normally quiet voice sounding somewhat strange and harsh as he shouted in the Shwartzian tongue. "_Zishnae! Vem de mer dein!_" 

"_Mai gemmen nust dennae, Aern! Nust sellem gai!_" The voice of the circling figure was definately not Gaed's. While it was somewhat low and resounding like both Aern and Gaed's were in Mivarae form, it definately was not masculine. Whomever was flying above the deck was female. 

Aern gritted his teeth in a frustrated manner. "Aargg..._Zishnae!!_" 

"Zishnae?" Gilder asked, confused. 

The purple-haired man turned, his face bearing an expression of annoyance. "_Zishnae_ means "sister". That's Eleah flying up over us, and she's being beyond difficult." 

"That's your sister?" The tall pirate glanced up, trying to see if the flying figure appeared even somewhat female. It was difficult to tell. "She seems like a pain in the ass, just like my sister." 

"And I think you're a pain in the ass, Mr. Pirate!" Eleah called down, her purple eyes glowing. "Why don't you go home? You have no place here." 

"It seems like she understands the common language." Vyse muttered. He glanced up at her, and shouted up. "Are you gonna keep playing games with your brother, or are you going to come down here and discuss things in a civilized manner?" 

"Why should I come down and talk to you, island-dweller? I'm here to talk to my brother!" 

"If you were here to talk to me, then you should have said something that made sense, instead of playing these childish games!" Aern crossed his arms and glared up at his sister. He seemed like an entirely different person while angry. 

A disdainful snort came from the gray-skinned creature, and she swooped down to alight on the deck gracefully. She was gray with batlike wings like her brother, although the white hair on her stomach and chest was somewhat shorter than Aern's, and the crest of hair on her head a bit longer. Her horns were also shorter, not to mention that she posessed a more femanine figure. "Fine, I'm down here. So let's talk." 

"What do you want, Eleah?" Aern asked impatiently. 

"I told you, I want these stupid pirate friends of yours to go away." 

"You told her that we were pirates?" 

"I'm sorry Vyse, but she did ask. And Eleah, they're not here to do harm. We were following Gaed down to Gen Gulan...but we've lost him." 

The purple eyes stopped glowing briefly. "Gaed? You were with Gaed?" 

"Yes, _Zishnae_...he was leading us down, because we found a Silvite." 

Eleah turned, folding her wings. "...I thought that's why you are here." 

"That's right, Aern and Gaed were leading us to take Fina down to your city to help your people...or at least that's what we were told." 

The Mivaeria glanced over her slender shoulder at him. "And who are you?" 

"I'm Vyse, captain of this ship. This is Gilder, captain of the Claudia, a friend of mine. And Fina, the Silvite, is a friend of both of ours." 

"I see." She appeared to be distracted, even though she was listening to them. 

"I would like to see nothing more than your people restored, and for life to return back to normal, but we can't do that while you're standing here on deck, delaying us." 

The glowing eyes narrowed. "What are you insinuating, island-dweller? That I'm in your way? That I'm a small problem, a little obstacle that you need to get around somehow?" 

"Eleah, we have no time for th--" Aern began. 

"Quiet, little brother." She snapped, cutting him short. "If anybody, you're the one getting in our way...bringing all these island-dwellers instead of just the Silvite. Now Gaed may be in trouble for bringing outsiders in." 

"That's nonsense. The Council would welcome them." 

"Well I don't." She said stiffly, lashing her long tail. 

Gilder gritted his teeth. "She's a racist, a goddamn racist." 

"Gilder, hush." Aern said. "Her opinion doesn't matter." 

"Well it matters to me." He stepped forward, face slightly red with anger. "Look lady, I don't know what the hell your problem is, but I don't like your attitude." 

"Watch your tone, island-dweller. I am not in the best of moods right now." 

"Well neither am I. What's with all this "island-dweller" crap, anyway? I don't know how the hell your mother raised you, but most of us learned to all get along." 

"Silence." It was a growl, a scarcely veiled threat contained within, but Gilder failed to take notice. 

"No, I ain't shutting up!" He continued. "I'm gonna tell you right now, lady, that on this ship, no...anywhere in this sky bigotry just ain't tolerated. Now if you have a beef with some individual, fine, but to suddenly hate my guts the moment you--" 

He didn't get to complete the sentence. Letting out an inhuman screech, Eleah whirled around and in a flash of claws, slashed Gilder across the chest. Aern let out a yell even as Gilder staggered back and clutched at his ripped clothing. Drawing his swords, Vyse jumped in between the wounded pirate and the Mivaeria, who was already spreading her wings and bending her legs to leap into the sky. 

"Just stay out of my way, Aern...and stay out of Shwartzia, until you can do things right for a change." Like a tensed spring, she shot into the air, flapping her wings to gain altitude. Ignoring Vyse and Aern's shouts, she glided into the swirling black clouds of the rift, and was gone. 

Swearing, Vyse hooked his swords on his belt, and glanced over to Gilder. "You all right?" 

Gilder did not in fact seem all right. Clutching at his chest, a small trickle of blood had soaked his shirt, his vest ripped open from Eleah's attack. "No, I'm not. No offense, Aern, but your sister's a bitch." 

Aika was running out onto deck, boomerang in hand, with Lani not far behind her. "Vyse! What happened just now?" 

"We were talking to Eleah, and she just snapped and attacked Gilder. She went and attacked him like some kind of cat." 

"A cranky-ass cat." Gilder winced as Lani helped him to his feet. "I feel lousy..." 

"Vyse, you need to take your ship out of the Dark Rift, and we need to get Gilder into bed." Aern supported Gilder, glancing at the slashes on his chest. 

"Out of the Rift? Why?" 

"Please Vyse, just do this....not for me, but for Gilder. We can't stay here." 

"Fine, I'll set a course back to Esparanza." He turned and ran back into the doors, no longer questioning Aern. 

"You're a cleric, right, Aern?" Gilder panted as they brought him below decks and towards his quarters. "You can help me out, right?" 

"I will try. Aika, please get the door, will you?" 

The redhead wordlessly opened the door and watched as the two of them helped Gilder sit on the bed, who protested mildly. 

"Y'know, it hurts a bit, but not that much guys...I don't need you to drag my ass into bed." 

"Too bad, because we are." Lani removed his coat, and took off his vest. "Those claws of hers cut right through your clothing. Be glad that she didn't take a swipe at your stomach, or else you'd be carrying your intestines around in a pail right now." 

"Damn. I liked that vest, too. I didn't bleed on the coat too much, did I?" 

"A bit." 

"Well...maybe nobody will notice." He winced as Lani pulled off his shirt. "Careful, I'm bleeding here!" He muttered under his breath. "Lani, if I had known it took this for you to undress me, I would have taken on a wild tiger." 

The Yafutoman woman ignored the comment, and started muttering a spell incantation to help heal the wounds. She only had uttered the first part when Aern raised a hand to quiet her. Frowning, she looked at him, confused. "Why don't you want me to cast spells on him? Did she do something to him?" 

"Woah, she did something to me? Like what?" Gilder put a hand to his head. "Ugh, she must have...I'm really feeling like shit over here." 

Aern looked at the slashes across Gilder's chest, and shook his head. "Your spells would do no good, Lani. Magic can't heal him." 

"Man...I feel almost as if I'm..." The tall pirate laid back on the bed, wincing. "It's hot in here..." 

The Shwartzian sighed, and looked up at Lani and Aika. "This is a major problem, and not even my clerical magic can help." 

"Why not? What's wrong with Gilder?" Aika seemed concerned. 

"Any kind of magic or medicine on your ship wouldn't help him. Your friend has been poisoned." 


	16. Chapter 15 Venom

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 13 

** CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
Venom**

CHAPTER FIFTEEN Venom 

"Poisoned?" Gilder said wildly, floundering to a sitting position. "How the hell did she do that?!" 

Aern pushed him back down on the bed. "Lie down and be still....the poison's effects will be less if you remain calm." 

"Calm? How am I supposed to remain calm? I'm poisoned!" His brown eyes were wild, almost panicky. 

"Mivarae females have venom on their claws, it was something that evolved as a defense mechanism....but it can be used offensively. That's why most Warriors in Protectorates are female." 

"Why the hell didn't you say that before? I wouldn't have started telling her to mind her manners." He glanced at Aika, who was staring openly at his bare torso. "What are you looking at, anyway?" 

She stifled a chuckle. "You're hairy." 

"If I wasn't poisoned, I'd spank you." 

"Isn't he hairy, Lani?" 

"I'd say so, yes. I'd hate to see how his legs look." 

"Aern," Gilder pleaded. "Make them stop. I'm dying over here, and all they can do is make fun of me." 

"You're not technically dying, Gilder. The poison's effects are unusual." Aern was prodding at the slash marks, which were already slightly puffy. 

"Unusual, how? I'm not going to sprout wings and a tail, am I? 

"Or more hair?" Aika supplied, which resulted in muffled laughter from Lani. 

Gilder groaned. "I think death might be better than dealing with this." 

"Gilder, you're not dying." Aern repeated. "The venom...well...it just effects the victim in a certain way." 

"How's that?" Gilder kicked off his boots. It was obvious he was willing to stay in bed. 

"Well...how are you feeling? Warm?" 

"Yeah, a bit." 

"Tense?" 

"A little bit." 

"And you're thinking something in particular?" 

"Well, to be honest, I'm thinking of turning Aika over my knee and spanking her for saying I'm hairy. And then Lani. And then maybe they'd spank m--" 

"Yes, you're definately feeling the symptoms." Aern rolled his eyes. "We'll need to keep you under lock and key." 

"Wait, back up a second there; you're saying that this venom makes me feel horn--" 

"Uncontrollably so." 

The tall pirate laughed. "What else is new? I'm always like that anyway." 

"Trust me, you will notice a difference." He glanced up at Aika. "Why don't you stay in here with him for a few minutes? I need to get my kit. Lani, why don't you come with me?" He stood, and left the room with Lani in tow. Gilder's laughter followed them out the door. 

"Right! Leave me with Aika! Because I'm a horny old dog! Muahaha!" 

Aern shut the door and sighed, and motioned Lani to follow him. "This is not good. He might die." 

"But you said--" 

"I know what I said....but I said it to keep Gilder calm. What the venom actually does is make the endocrine system go haywire. Things like adrenaline, endorphins and sexual hormones are released, causing the body systems to speed up. If the antidote is not administered, the victim's body literally burns itself out, and they die. All depending on the victim's physical condition, the time of death varies." 

"How long would you say Gilder has?" 

"He's in good shape, but I still wouldn't give him much more than a few days...probably four at the most." He looked at her. "Please, go tell Vyse to meet me in the conference room. I need to discuss this with him. The last thing I'd want is for Gilder to die." 

* * * 

When Lani had brought Vyse and Fina into the conference room, Aern was already sitting there, patiently waiting for them. His expression, however, did not bear a particularily patient look; if anything, the Shwartzian seemed slightly worried. 

"Please, have a seat. I must discuss something with you." 

Fina's brow crinkled in worry as she sat down. "It's about Gilder, isn't it?" 

"Yes. I must be abrupt and straight to the point about this: if not healed within a few days, Gilder will die." 

"Die? What, did she poison him or something?" It was Vyse's turn to look concerned. 

"Exactly. The venom on the claws of Mivarae females is fairly potent, although not poison in the context of standard terms. The next few days, Gilder will be very....moody." 

Vyse folded his hands on the table in front of him, and leaned forward. "Please explain." 

"Of course." Aern idly traced the edge of the table with a finger as he spoke, even though his face was dead serious. "The venom is a bit more potent in humans than it is in native Arcadians, such as Silvites and Shwartzians. What it does is send the endocrine system into overdrive. Almost every horemone, pheremone, endorphen and mood-altering chemical is released into the bloodstream at an almost constant rate. This causes the body's metabolism to speed up drastically, until it wears out. At that point, the victim either goes into epeleptic shock, or cardiac arrest. If either of these things happened to Gilder normally..." He sighed. "As healthy a man he is, he would have no defense against either a heart attack or a seizure. Either would indefinately kill him because of his state, which will weaken." 

The scarred blue rogue glanced down at his hands. "I see. So...what you're saying is that for a few days, Gilder will be excitable, horny, edgy and miserable." 

"Yes." 

"And this will last until his body finally burns out and he dies?" 

"Sadly, yes." 

Vyse drew a breath, and flickered his eyes up towards the Shwartzian, steadily looking at him through a fringe of dark brown hair. "And this is where I ask you, 'Is there a cure, Aern?', right?" 

"About that..." 

The captain suddenly slammed his palms down on the tabletop, startling them all. "Dammit, Aern! There has to be something you can do about this! We can't just let him..." He cleared his throat, calming down a bit. "We can't let Gilder go." 

When he spoke, Aern's voice was weak, almost coy...as if he couldn't bear the responsibility of what happened. "There is a cure. It just don't know if it still exists." He closed his vermillion eyes as he resurfaced the memory of training he had received long ago. "One of the things all Clerics must learn is the cure for Mivaeria venom, just in case there is a Shwartzian that reacts a bit more violently to it than usual. Normally, it only effects our pheremones. In any case, there was a particular plant that grew under the Green moon. I don't know if any of you have heard of it... 

"It's called "maiden's breath", and it's a small sort of flowering bush with fragile little white flowers and small, fuzzy leaves. It used to grow in an area in what is now Ixa'Taka that...well, that was maintained by my people specifically to rear that crop. It was a native plant, altered slightly by the Shwartzians. However, that was thousands of years ago. There is no telling how the plant has evolved, or even if it still exists anymore. For all we know, it was destroyed in the Rain of Destruction and the Gigas Wars like so many other species." He opened his eyes. "That is why I'm apprehensive about it, Vyse. I don't even know if it exists anymore." 

A small airy sound came from Fina's direction. She had a hand put to her cheek, her head shaking to and fro in a negative motion. "So much happening in so little time...first Drachma's letter, then that storm and the thing with Aika, then the Shwartzian problem, and then Ramirez's sword...and now Gilder's ill." She sighed again. "Unbelievable." 

"This is the worst things have ever been, I agree." Vyse said gravely. "It makes the days of shooting torpedoes at a Gigas seem like a carnival. Too much grief sits on all of our shoulders; it's making us all exhausted. But still...we have to still try. I refuse to let a friend slip away from us." 

"I do too." She settled her hands down on the tabletop in front of her, and gave a short, humorless laugh. "It's just, it's kind of ironic that all these things are dropped into our laps at about the same time. It's so overwhelming....almost makes you feel like you're small and helpless." 

"Fina, I think I speak for all of us when I say "this sucks.". Right now, I want to smack my head against a wall for a good hour straight." He gave a small smile of encouragement. "Don't worry. I for one am not giving up on Gilder." 

"I didn't think you would, either." Lani put in. "From what I've heard, and what I've seen, you're not the kind of person to cave in or give up." She turned to Aern. "And I'm with them...as are you, I hope." 

"Of course." The Shwartzian gave a bland smile. "Do you think I would let one of my patients die on me? I am a Cleric after all, and I took an oath to help the sick and injured at any cost." His face returned back to one of rapt seriousness. "How fast is this metal ship of yours, Vyse?" 

Despite the grim discussion, the blue rogue smiled in pride. "It's the fastest there is...faster than the best ships of Valua, even faster than the warships of Yafutoma. If we head above the High Cloud Fringe and into upper sky, and then keep travelling between 700 and 1,000 miles south of the equator, we can catch the planet's upper air currents and use them to help push us along. We can be in Ixa'taka within a day and a half. Not even South Ocean's twisters will slow us down." He paused and seemed to consider something. "Can you use your power over gravity to help us if we do slow down? Like you did when we took the Belleza back to Crescent Isle?" 

Aern's expression looked doubtful. "I'm not sure....the Belleza was a smaller ship, and one made of wood. This ship is probably made of metals such as aluminum, steel and titanium. As light as it is for a metal ship, it still is massive. I don't think I can push it along without exhausting myself...especially if I have to help push it for a third of the world's circumferance. Besides," he added mildly. "Would you have me stand on your deck when we're in the upper atmosphere?" 

"True, and sorry...I didn't think of that. You'd be better off inside taking care of Gilder, anyway. I don't know if we can trust him around Lani." 

"I can take care of myself." the Yafutoman scientist said stiffly. "I don't think he'll try anything funny." 

"See if you'll say that tomorrow, Lani." Aern said. "By tomorrow, you'll be so tired of fighting off his attentions, you'll want to jump out of the ship and help push us to Ixa'Taka." 

* * * 

"The world is rotten." Gilder complained. It was the fourth time he had said it since Lani had entered the cabin that morning to see how he was doing. "Wouldn't you agree?" 

"That sounds strange, coming from you. I thought you were the kind to enjoy life." She put a hand to his forhead, and pursed her lips. "You're warm." 

"If you want to see how warm I really am, let me pull you under these blankets with me." 

Lani ignored him, and offered him a mug of a suspiously steaming liquid. "Drink this, Aern said it will help." 

He glared at the mug as if it offended him somehow. "What is it...?" he ventured. 

"Yafutoman green tea, with some herbs that Aern put in...things like camomile and willow bark. I'm not absolutely sure what some of the things he added are, but they're probably good for you." 

"Ugh." Gilder scratched at the short, curly hair on his bare chest. Despite the previous day's comments from Lani and Aika, he wasn't really all that hairy. He had a bandage around his lower torso, and was told not to scratch at it. Thus, he did the next best thing and scratched at his chest. Not that it made him feel any better. "This is unbelievable." He complained, making a face that mirrored discomfort. "I've never had a hard-on for this long. I feel like my--" Then realizing who he was talking to, he coughed apologetically. "Er, sorry. That falls under the "I don't wanna know" catagory." 

"Exactly. I know you're sick, but I still don't want to know what your penis is up to. Now drink your tea." 

He pushed the preoffered mug away. "Thanks, but no thanks. I think feeling sore, hot and horny is better than drinking whatever mystery beverage Aern made for me." He groaned in frustration and scratched at his chest again, absently noting that he was sweating profusely. 

"Gilder, you drink your tea this instant. Can't let it get cold." Her look was one of disapproval. 

"I told you no, I'm not interested. Moons, this bandage is itchy..." 

"Gilder!" 

"Oh right, what are you gonna do about it? I don't think it matters anyway. What could possibly happen to me if I don't drink it, anyway?" 

Lani sighed and waved a hand. "Oh, not much really...just your overexcited genitals will fall off." 

"What?!" Gilder's eyes widened to show the whites all the way around. 

"Didn't you know? That's what happens to men who have an erection for too long....the male body wasn't made to "keep it up" for more than a few hours. Usually the testicles are all right, but the penis--" 

She was interrupted by Gilder, who groped for the mug of tea, and gulped it down noisily. He coughed. "Hot...burned my mouth..." 

"Shall I get you a glass of water?" Lani offered. 

The pirate stuck his tongue out, wiggled it a bit and popped it back in his mouth. "Nah, I'll be fine. Unless you want to kiss it and make it better..." He looked at her hopefully. 

The Yafutoman woman made a sound of barely disguised disgust, and went to look out the window. "If you weren't sick, I'd slap you for that." She laughed softly as she watched the clouds roll past. "Besides, do you have any idea how horrible you look? You're fairly pale, not to mention sweaty...and your beard needs trimming." 

"Heh, I guess." He scratched at his chest again, this time a bit closer to the bandage, but didn't respond in any other way. 

"I don't mean any offense, though." She added hastily while searching for a means to open the window to let some air in. There obviously was none, the Delphinus being a Valuan military vessel. "Normally you are a very attractive man Gilder, not to mention charming..even though you do have some questionable habits. Although, I suppose even blue rogues are rough around the edges...but still, you aren't that bad. I'm surprised there aren't more women out after you...or at least you haven't found a permanant one by...what, how old are you? 

"Thirty-two." His voice sounded a bit more subdued, no doubt from the medication in the tea he drank. 

"You're a year younger than me...but I'm not one to talk. It's not like I get to see Ilchymis often." She sighed. "I miss those days years ago when I could see him more often..." 

"I didn't know you two were..." 

Lani gave a short laugh. "Well, yes and no. We used to be together...we still are in a way. It's somewhat hard, though, being half a world apart. I never really thought much of it at the time, but now, years later, I realize that I never really appreciated the time I spent with him. Sometimes I wish--" She stopped suddenly, her expression suddenly mildly alarmed from the noise coming from the man on the bed. "Gilder? You all right?" 

When she turned her head, she found the blue rogue pressing the back of his arm against his face, rocking back and forth as he produced hoarse sobs. He seemed oblivious to her question, aborbed in some mournful reverie that had been sprung by something said in her ramblings. She sat on the edge of the bed, touching his arm gently. "Gilder? What's wrong?" 

He let out a low keening sound, a grown man weeping like a broken-hearted child. "...I hate...I hate to think about it." 

"Then don't think about...whatever it is. Try to think of something else." 

"I c...I c-can't." he stammered. "What you were saying about you and Ilchymis made me think about what an asshole I am." 

She chewed at her lower lip, a bit uncomfortable about the situation. From what Aern had told her, she was to expect outbursts. But like this...? The man half-sitting, half-laying on the bed next to her seemed like his heart had been cruelly ripped apart. "You're not an a--...uh, a bad person, Gilder." She stared at the wall, not wanting to look at him in the eye. "If you want to be left alone..." 

"No!" Gilder gripped her arm almost desperately, his brown eyes fixed on hers with a pleading look. "No..." he repeated a bit more quietly. "...I don't. I feel like such a loser right now...I just need somebody to hang out and listen..." A tear rolled down his cheek to disappear in his beard. "Please." 

"All right." She took his hand in hers and patted it kindly. "I think I understand where you're coming from, so I'll listen." 

"Thanks." He hugged himself with his free arm, knees half-drawn up, eyes fixed somewhere on the bedsheets. "Her name is Clara. She's a blue rogue that I managed to get into bed once. That one time got her hooked on me, and she always chases me around, like I'm some great questing beast." He paused. "It's strange, too...she drives me crazy, but I let her catch me...sometimes I do, anyway. Sometimes I run, because I think she wants to marry me. Other times I run, because I think she's nuts. But usually I run because it makes her happy to chase me." Pressing his hand to his brow to cover his eyes, he let out a dispairing moan. "I know I'd do anything to make her happy...but she doesn't know that. She's young, thinking that she's playing some great sort of game, but she has no idea what it does to me..." Another sob escaped Gilder's lips. "I care about her, but I'm rotten to her. I try to drive her away, but I don't really want her to go either." 

Lani wrapped her arms around his bare shoulders, trying to give him some comfort until this unusual behavior subsided. While his words seemed to be genuine, as did his tears, she knew that Gilder normally wouldn't cave to extreme emotions like this...especially not over a woman. Not any woman: the woman that hunted him like some great prize animal. Aika had told her the story of Gilder and Clara, after the whole rose rogues incident in Nasr...but it seemed to be more of the usual playboy garbage that Gilder enjoyed. The fact that a woman wanted him that badly probably in truth flattered him, or so Lani had thought. Perhaps Gilder was an excellent liar, very good at hiding the truth, even from himself. 

"And now you're away from her, just like I'm away from him...and you wish that at some point, you had said or did something different, right?" 

Gilder nodded, not saying anything, but returned her embrace. Despite his recent behavior, this hug in particular didn't have any sexual undertones to it. 

"I do that too." She sighed a bit ruefully. "I get the "what ifs"...things like "what if I had never left Valua?" or "what if I asked him to come with me?"...and I wonder: would things be like this? Would they have changed? I know it's silly, but I pray to the twin gods of the blue moon, hoping that they can change our fates and bring us back together." 

"Does it make you feel any better?" 

"No, not really. Neither does my research." Lani rested her cheek against his, not really caring what he thought. She doubted that he would remember this exchange of personal demons anyway. "Then again, I'm a fool. I sit and I mope about it...and not tell anybody...but at the same time, I don't do anything either." 

"Like me," His voice was distant, his thoughts going through a total revolution. 

"Yes, like you. I suppose I'm rotten too for not persuing it anymore." 

"I suppose I'll have to think through it seriously for a change...maybe not run away as much." He sighed and wiped at his face. 

"Never forget, Gilder....nothing begets nothing." 

"Thank you." 

Lani went to pull away, but Gilder didn't unclasp his arms from around her torso. "Gilder, you should rest now." She said, slightly annoyed. 

"I don't want to." His arms gave her a squeeze. "You made me feel better." 

"Well I'm glad that I cheered you up a bit, but Aern said that you should rest after drinking your medicine." 

He raised his face to examine hers closely, his nose a mere few inches from her own. "But I don't want to rest...not after that little exchange." He brushed his lips against hers. "You make me feel so good, Lani..." 

She stiffened, her back going stock-straight as she pulled her face away from his, trying to push her hands against his shoulders defensively. "I shouldn't make you feel that way, especially after what you told me about Clara. Now let me go." 

His arms tightened and he pulled her closer. "Clara's not here.." he whispered a bit huskily. "Just you and me." 

"Gilder, knock it off. You're not yourself." She squirmed a bit, trying to free herself. 

"You don't know me...you don't know how good I can be to a woman...to you. Just let me show you..." 

Lani's eyes widened in fright as he began hungrily kissing her face and neck, even as she struggled to break loose of his crushing embrace. Despite his weakened state, Gilder was still much stronger than she was. Before she even knew it, he had somehow managed to pin her arms at her sides, and had begun pulling her against him on the bed, easing his weight on top of her. She began flailing her legs wildly, and started to scream, but he covered her mouth with his own, almost oblivious to her protests. 

When she bit his lip, however, that got his attention. He snapped his head back to look down at her, his eyes confused. It was almost as if he couldn't feel the blood welling up on his lip. "I don't want to force you...I want to make you feel wonderful..." 

She spat in his face, almost sobbing. "Do you have any idea what you're doing, you idiot? Are you really going to force yourself upon me?" 

"I don't rape..." He sat up, allowing her to worm her way free, and watched as she darted to the far end of the room. "...I don't rape.." he repeated, almost in a self-mocking tone. Gilder then wiped at the bleeding toothmarks on his lower lip, and shuddered. "I..." He raised his face to look at her, new tears having sprung to his eyes. "Go. Before I do something else stupid." 

She nodded silently, and slipped out of the room, adjusting her shifted clothing and mussed hair as she closed the door behind her. As he heard the latch click, the blue rogue felt a surge of disgust that wasn't a side-effect of the poison. He had come so close to doing the unthinkable, and yet it would have been so easy to keep going. But that wasn't him...this strange venom was making him somebody else...somebody who had no control over their own actions. Somebody who would not pay any attention to concience or morals, but instead to their raw instincts and needs. 

After the Yafutoman woman left the room, Gilder bowed his head and wept. 


	17. Chapter 16 The Priest

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 13 

** CHAPTER SIXTEEN  
The Priest**

The dreams were so strange. She couldn't explain them, or couldn't even remember them clearly after she awoke, but they left her with an odd feeling of emptiness and longing...a feeling so strong that she wished she could pad down the hall to the captain's quarters and sleep warm and secure next to him. Despite the need for human comfort, Fina knew that climbing into Vyse's bed in the middle of the night, even for benign reasons, would raise all sorts of indecent talk. In the Great Silver Shrine, they never thought much of it; many times when she had nightmares, she would go to Ramirez's room and sleep next to him. His smile and gentle words would calm her, and they would drift off together, like brother and sister. 

How Ramirez had evolved from the kind young man she knew into a belligerant madman was beyond her. It was painful to see what had happened to him, and even more painful to admit that it was impossible for him to return to the way he was. She knew it was mercy that had been the main reason behind his death: Vyse, Aika and herself pitied him, and wished to put a stop to his insanity. Still, it was difficult to do; she had almost hated Vyse when one of his cutlasses had slid through Ramirez' chest. In that last moment, his eyes lost Zelos' fire and regained a shade of the former Ramirez. In that few scant seconds, his eyes looked down at Vyse, and then flickered over to Fina...and in them was something almost like recognition. In those few heartbeats before the Gigas merged with him, absorbing his flesh in a last vain effort to sustain itself, Ramirez understood them. As the silver creature flew apart and Ramirez' silver moon crystal tumbled to the deck, Fina knew that there were worse fates than death, and by dying, Ramirez had escaped them. 

But it didn't erase the pain. No amount of reasoning about the matter did, no kind words from her friends or no thoughts of better things. Some wounds simply did not heal quickly, especially when the largest one gave reminders of how alone you really were in the world. Fina's mother died when she was young, the Elders did not survive the crash of the Great Silver Shrine onto Soltis, and Ramirez suffered his fate at the hands of Fina herself, or very nearly so. On the islands of Arcadia, race didn't seem to matter as much as she thought it would; Nasrians, Mid-Oceaners, Yafutomans...they all realized they shared the same sky, and as far as many were concerned, where you came from didn't matter: it was what you did that made you who you were. 

Fina accomplished much, but it left her feeling empty. She wasn't the same as these people of Arcadia she had watched on the viewscreen in the Great Silver Shrine of years past...instead, she was singled out in this world of islands. She knew that no matter what, she would be the only Silvite, the only one of her race, the one that always is singled out in a crowd despite the crowd's invitations to join them. 

She sighed morosely and lay her head back down on her pillow. She wanted to talk to somebody badly...Aika, Vyse, Gilder....even Lani or Aern. It was the middle of the night, however...the clock on her bedside table said 3:47. She wouldn't disturb them. Instead, Fina lay her head back down, feeling even more lonesome than she did from the strange dreams, and drifted off into an uneasy sleep. 

* * * 

The next day seemed to drag, as did their pace, even though in truth they were making good time. They passed over the wind- and sand-swept islands of southern Nasr, passing not far from Maramba. The Delphinus did not stop, but kept her course straight, making a beeline towards Ixa'Taka. 

Aika stood on the bridge, worridly gnawing at a fingernail. Hans was pushing the engines as hard as he could, but the ship just wasn't moving fast enough for her liking. The fact that their engines could stall in the cold, thin air of upper sky didn't help ease her worry. They needed to push their engines, but if they pushed them too far, they could stop running all together. 

She had no idea how Gilder was doing. She had asked Lani about it, since the scientist had been caring for him, but the Yafutoman woman had gained a distant look, then shrugged and told Aika to go see him for herself. Aika didn't want to do that, however; she didn't want to think of her friend, a normally strong and healthy man, being reduced to such a weakened state. For all she knew, he could be dying. That was not an appealing thought. 

She was only partially paying attention to where they were, which was foolish of her, since one of her jobs as vice-captain was to navigate. It was difficult to see where they were, though, since they were so high up. From where they were, Aika could actually see the curvature of the planet, something only a handful of people have seen before. She estimated that they were at the start of South Ocean, since the weird white clouds below their flight path could only be a result of the tornadoes. That would mean that they would enter Ixa'Takan airspace sometime during the night. And then, it was a matter of finding a needle in a haystack... 

"Aern?" 

The Shwartzian Cleric was standing at the portside windows of the bridge, watching as the frozen cirrus clouds moved past. "Yes?" 

Aika looked at the large map of the Ixa'Takan region that sat on the large table at the center of the bridge. "Do you remember where this flower grows?" 

He rubbed at the back of his neck, obviously weary and a bit stressed. "I did know, but the layout of the world has changed since then. I do know that maiden's breath grows in the mountains of Ixa'Taka, where it's a bit cooler, and the air is thinner. It usually grows near water, so I figure that we'd start looking for mountains with streams or even lakes." 

"That's not much to go on." 

"No, but it's all we have. I wish it could be otherwise." He sighed. "I'd ask to stop in Horteka, but Gilder has already been poisoned two days as it is..." 

A thought suddenly came to Aika. "Wait a moment...what if there was somebody that we knew in Horteka that knew a lot about local things...healing, history, religion, things like that." 

Aern laughed. "Then I'd go and kiss that man's feet and call him god. It's hard to find renessaince men in today's world." 

"I know of somebody, though. He's an advisor to the King, and a priest of Naemynn." 

"Naemynn?" 

"The goddess of the green moon...she's the goddess of nature and fertility...and I guess she also's considered the goddess of love and of healing." 

"Hmm. I admit I don't know much about any gods, other than Li'nim, who is the god of the black moon. Not that I'm religious or anything...I cringe at the idea of going to a temple to pray. It isn't as if any god has been kind to me or my people anyway." He walked across the bridge to talk to her. "And you say this priest is a good man?" 

"Well, he considers himself a lady's man...purple-haired freak that he is." 

"Purple hair?" Aern's interest was piqued. 

"Not like your hair, kind of lighter, more of a fruity color. But anyway, Isapa is a good man, or so I've seen. King Ixa'Taka puts a lot of trust into him." 

"Then I would like to meet this Isapa. Perhaps he would know something...and would make our search for one flower in a sea of plants much easier." 

Aika grinned. "I guess I'll go find Vyse, then." 

* * * 

Vyse agreed that Isapa seemed to be a good choice for a guide to find the plant. Despite Gilder's deteriorating condition, the captain decided that they would have to take a gamble in this matter, and stop at Horteka. The crew didn't seem to mind this decision...every excursion to the Ixa'Takan capital was like a field day. 

"It's not really a capital." Hans was saying to Urala during his dinner break. He stopped to speak to the gentle Yafutoman girl whenever he could. Despite her shyness and odd customs, he found her very facinating to talk to, not to mention fairly cute. "Instead, the Hortekan tribe was chosen years ago to represent all the allied tribes of Ixa'Taka. The king, who is more like a tribal leader, speaks for the whole continant." 

"Isn't that a bit hard to do?" Urala asked. "Aren't there hundreds of tribes throughout Ixa'Taka?" 

"Yes and no...some of the more belligerant tribes, like Ixa'Ness or Nar'tana aren't represented at all. Only the ones who are are part of a loosely held together alliance are represented by King Ixa'Taka." He paused to eat more of his dinner. "This is really good." 

She rewarded him with a shy smile. "I'm glad you like it...although you know that I'll cook you dumplings whenever you like, Hans." 

"Thanks, I like your cooking." He drank some of his tea. Even though Hans was nearing sixteen, he hadn't developed a taste for loqua yet. This was all well and good with the young man anyway, since he had seen how stupid his crewmates sometimes got after hitting the loqua tap. "The king isn't allowed to use his real name either." 

"That's strange...in Yafutoma, the emperor's name is used with honor and reverance. No children are named the same name as the reigning emperor out of a means of respect." 

"Two different lands, two different systems, I suppose. But the kings, who are all of the same family for generations, always stop using their real names when they ascend the throne. They use the name "Ixa'Taka" to signify that they as one represent the whole continant, regardless of the fact that the king comes from one specific tribe." He frowned. "Come to think of it, that's something I never knew...what tribe the king's family comes from. I don't think they were Hortekan, even though they have lived there for years..." He frowned, then shrugged. "Sorry...just rambling on here. Didn't mean to bog you down with a history lesson...it's just that I lived in Horteka for years, and I learned a bit of local lore there." 

"That's all right, Hans. I like talking to you." She patted his arm. "Will you take me into the town when we stop there? We've gone past it since I came on board the Delphinus, but I never got to see it. I don't think Captain Vyse would mind." 

Hans smiled at her, genuinely pleased. "Of course I will, Urala. Of course." 

* * * 

They reached Horteka not long after sunrise the next day. As usual, the natives gathered in excitement whenever a large ship appeared at their port. They used to cringe in fear at the sight of a metal Valuan ship, but the Delphinus was never a ship they scorned. Several Ixa'Takans served on board the ship, which seemed to represent people from each inhabited land beneath the moons. 

Gilder stared out from the port side of the ship, where his cabin was. Through the tiny round window he could see children running along the dock in excitement, many of them wearing nothing but happy smiles. Heathens, Gilder thought. Well, if they decided to let their kids run around buck-naked, that was their perrogative. 

Aern had told Gilder why they were stopping here, that the priest Isapa would most likely know where the antidote to the Mivarae venom was. That announcement had made the tall blue rogue's spirits plummet, as if they weren't already low to start with. If the Delphinus was coming to Ixa'Taka for a cure to his poison, that was all well and good. But if they needed to talk to some sort of wise man to figure out where the damn thing was, that was a different matter. Suspicion grew in Gilder's mind, that perhaps Aern wasn't being candid with him, and perhaps this venom was a bit more serious. Could he die? He was already feeling worn out both physically and emotionally, and he had only been poisoned for a little more than two days. At times, he couldn't sleep at night because his heart was beating so quickly from the adrenaline in his system. Other times, his head ached even more than his groin did from the testosterone. He wasn't too sure what was happening to his body, but he didn't like it. 

Mainly because what it had made him almost do yesterday. Ever since that incident, Lani had barely stopped by his room in look in on him. Aern began checking up on him instead, but whether the Shwartzian knew what happened or not, he never said. Gilder fervantly hoped that Lani hadn't told anybody about it, since he would never do such a thing. Lani was an attractive woman, and admittably he wouldn't mind fooling around with her a bit on a future occasion, but he respected her too much. He wished that respect had held out before he started to grope at her body and crush her mouth with his. If there was one thing Gilder disliked, it was men who didn't know how to treat women, especially those who raped. He had stopped and let her free before it was too late, but the damage was already done. 

Blue rogues had a code of honor not to harm the innocent, but that code had gone out of the window. Black rogues did things like rape, murder and terrorism...but Gilder willingly became a blue rogue because he loathed things like that. He didn't want to harm others, or cause terror...well, maybe a bit of terror in snobby merchants with big, sweaty armed guards. But mostly he didn't want to be like black rogues because of his mother. 

His father apparently was some sort of pirate...whether a blue or black rogue, Gilder never knew. He was raised by his mother and her uncle on one of the many Mid-Ocean island colonies that lay beneath the silver moon. It was a fishing village, most island villages were. He never saw hide nor hair of his father, not that he minded. His uncle was a good enough man, and his plain ways and hard work impressed themselves upon Gilder's brain. He wanted to be like his uncle, to work hard for what he earned, to take pride in what he did. He wasn't too sure if he wanted to be a fisherman...that seemed kind of dull to the young Gilder. Still, there had to be something out there for him, although piracy hadn't occured to him yet. 

It was like any other day beneath the silver moon...the mists of morning had been burned away by the relentless sun that seemed to beat down on the backs of those who worked at the small town. Gilder was chopping wood for his mother's cookstove in the back yard. Since it was a small town, they didn't have luxuries like electricity or hot running water...but they got by fairly well. His uncle was getting his small fishing sloop ready for another pass at the sea after lunch, which Gilder's mother was preparing. 

Gilder was carrying a cord of wood in his arms, pleased by the fact that he was developing good muscle tone from the hard work he had done through the years. At the age of fourteen, he was much taller than most of the boys his age, although his face was still fairly fine-boned and delicate. He wanted strong muscles and a coarse beard when he grew up in hopes of hiding that boyish beauty in his face. He had never grown that much more muscle, and the neatly-trimmed beard only enhanced his features now that he was in his thirties. 

When he had deposited the wood in the trough next to the stove, he had heard a noise outside. Curious, he had gone out onto the front stoop of their house to see what it was. A ship was hovering a scant few feet above the ground, and rough-looking men were sliding down ropes from the deck to alight in the town. Alarmed, Gilder cried out to his uncle, but the men had already made their way over to the docks. While the young man couldn't entirely see what was going on, the flash of blood-smeared steel and the screams of terror let him know. Pale-faced, he ran back into the house, crying out to his mother to hide, that raiders had come to their town. 

At that moment, four men burst into their small house, brandishing bloodied knives and swords. His mother cried out to Gilder, told him to hide even as the men grabbed her. Hiding was moot; there was no place to run to, and even though he resisted as two of the men grabbed him and bound him, there was no escape. They threw him into the next room, laughing when he hit his head on the floor with an audible clunk. Then Gilder heard his mother scream. The men laughed, and there were more screams. Her screams became weaker as time pressed on, as they did the unthinkable to her while Gilder sobbed in the next room, unable to help her. Eventually she stopped screaming and began to groan weakly...but soon she stopped that as well. There were sounds of scrabbling and of things breaking, as if the raiders were pawing through the family's scant belongings for anything of value. Still the minutes dragged on, the cords cutting into Gilder's wrists and ankles. 

Then they came into the next room for him. Each kick to the head and blow to the stomach was a nightmare, but he did not once cry out. It was as if he couldn't cry out, like his insides had been driven away to leave a hollow husk behind for them to pummel. They smashed his fingers. His one leg was broken. They even lashed his back with a belt, leaving welts. Eventually they grew tired of their gruesome amusements, and left him behind for dead, taking a few sackful of stolen items along with them. Gilder waited until the sounds of terror had subsided, and then somehow managed to undo his bonds, ignoring the cuts they caused in his wrists. 

As he crawled into the next room, he could smell smoke. Apparently they had tried setting fire to the house, although it didn't seem to spread. Gilder wasn't concerned with fire...he wanted to know if his mother was all right. As he pulled himself over to her still form on the floor, he knew that she was not. Her dress' bodice was torn to expose her breasts, the skirt of it pushed up above her waist. And there was blood...so much blood. The boy had clutched at his mother's still form and sobbed; they had slit her throat. 

After what seemed like hours, he managed to pull himself to his feet and hobble out of their ruined house. The doorway was a bit blackened, and it was smoking. Other houses were on fire, or gently smoldering. Already a few ravens had gathered at the one side of town...Gilder did not want to go investigate why. Numbly, he made his way over to the docks to look for a ship, but all were ruined. It was then he decided that he would simply die. Sitting down in the middle of the wooden dock, he bowed his head and picked at his wounds. If he was lucky, he would bleed to death. If he didn't, he would fling himself off the island. 

He had no idea how long he lay there, passing in and out of delirium, alternating between weeping and a half-drowse. It didn't matter anymore, nothing did. That's why he didn't resist when a group of men and women came and lifted him up, speaking to him kindly. He did not care when they lead him onto their ship, nor did he care when they told him that they were blue rogues, and they were there to help him. That crew was the crew of the Angelicus, under the command of Captain Avris. As the years went on, Gilder grew more and more grateful to Avris and the other blue rogues, and did what he could to follow their code of honor, to learn to be a gentleman, to make his way in the world. Loathing blades, he had chosen guns as a weapon. He had always dressed himself in red to remind himself of the blood the nameless black pirates had shed in his home town. And once he was a man who had done well enough for himself to gain his own crew and his own ship, he named it Claudia. Claudia, after his mother. Claudia, to remind him of how he survived. 

Gilder sighed as his thoughts returned to the children running along the docks. They were lucky...they were free, as were their mother and fathers. For ever how long as he lived, for ever as many woman he had had, Gilder still treated women with as close to respect as he could. True, he was a bit of a wolf, but he would never harm a woman. He would never break the code he learned from Captain Avris, and would never do it on the name of his ship Claudia. And if he survived this damnable poison, he would do everything he could to make it up to Lani. Sighing once more, he watched as Vyse and several of his crew members walked down the docks and into the city. He hoped that they would find his Isapa guy, and get the cure. Gilder did definately not want to die this way...as an oath breaker, a weak idiot with no heart, and no willpower. 

* * * 

Isapa sat on the hanging platform outside his treetop home, palms held together in prayer. A thin whisp of smoke curled up from a small heap of burning incense that lay on a flat stone before him. The priest's bald head shone with perspiration from the warm weather that was constant in Ixa'Taka. 

"What is it? I told you I don't want to be disturbed." He didn't open his eyes when he spoke. "My prayer hour is almost up...come back after I eat breakfast." 

"I'm sorry, but I need to speak with you." Vyse said, crossing his arms. 

"Velnada, when did your voice...?" He opened his eyes, then blinked when he saw them. "Oh...oh I'm sorry. I didn't realize that it was you." He rose somewhat awkwardly, brushing bits of leaf from his purple robes. "So Mr. Vyse, you have come back to Horteka again. I see you brought your women friends as well...along with two new..." His eyes widened. "Is this true...?" He shuffled over to Aern and looked at him in awe. "Sir, are you...a Shwartzian?" 

"That I am. You're Isapa, I presume?" 

The fat priest laughed, setting his belly to jiggling. "Yes, yes I am. I'm honored you know of me, young man. But why have you left the Dark Rift? I thought your people were going to stay under there forever." 

"How do you know about us...?" Aern seemed a bit confused. 

"Oh come come...follow me..." He waved a tan hand at them, beckoning them inside his hut. "Come, you can all have breakfast with me, and we can talk. I have some nice fresh--" 

"Not to be rude, Isapa, but we're here for urgent reasons." Vyse cut in. "Our friend is poisoned with Shwartzian venom, and we need maiden's breath to cure him before he dies." 

The priest's look was crestfallen. "Oh. Oh I see...I'm sorry." 

Fina looked stricken. "You mean you can't help us?" 

"Of course I can, my lady Silvite. Hmm...I see you haven't obtained your tattoos of womanhood yet." He waved his hands in a dismissing manner. "Nonono...I'll speak of that later. Yes, I know where the sacred crop grows. My family has been tending it for centuries." 

Aern took a step forward, as if only realising something for the first time. "You mean...?" 

"Of course, my young friend. The bloodline's a bit muddled now, but I'm a decendant of your people." 


	18. Chapter 17: Maiden's Breath

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN  
Maiden's Breath**

The group stared at the large-bellied priest in awe. Isapa, jovial as ever, laughed at their gape-jawed expressions. "What, do you truly think that my eyes and hair are this color because of something I eat? I admit, my eyes may seem a bit brownish in some lights, but they are actually red. As for my hair...why would a balding man dye his hair, anyway? Or his beard for that matter?" 

"I cannot grow a beard, though..." Aern said, a bit bemused. 

"That is because you are a true-blood." Isapa grinned, a flash of white teeth in a purple sea of whiskers. "The Shwartzian side of my family is several generations watered down. I would say that I am only about one-eighth of your race. So before you even ask me...no, I cannot transform into any sort of beast. Not without eating too much." He laughed again and grabbed his belly. "Sometimes I think this beast at my waist will turn on me one day." 

Vyse sighed. As good it was to see somebody in such good spirits, they had no time for playful conversation. "Maybe we can talk about this on the way to the maiden's breath. I hate to seem rude, but Gilder has been poisoned for three days now, and we'd prefer that he lives through this." 

"Gilder? Of the Claudia?" Isapa's one bushy brow perked up. 

"You know him?" 

"Of course I do, Captain Vyse. I met him at that party that the Valuan Emperor had not long ago. Intelligent man, for all his crudeness. Under those goofy glasses and pretty-boy face is a good brain, and a good heart sits in his chest too." He headed down the moss-covered wooden pathways that snaked among the trees. "Come, follow me. It would be a shame to lose a good man such as him." 

"Does the plant grow on a nearby island?" Fina asked. 

"No, it's several leagues away...about a few hours by boat...although your big metal ship probably will get there in less than an hour. It's not far from the king's private island, actually." 

"I still can't believe that you are part Shwartzian." Aern said, still a bit dumbstruck. "I thought that any bloodlines here in the islands would have been watered down so much, that they would be untraceable through the centuries." 

"As a rule, we cannot marry outside our tribe. That is why King Ixa'Taka has not taken a bride yet, as to not taint the bloodline any further. He is also of Shwartzian descent." 

"He's related to you?" The silvite woman trotted up to fall in stride with Isapa. "Can't say he looks a lot like you." 

"Distant cousin is about it, but we are family, yes. We had the same great-great-grandmother. She was half-Shwartzian." He chuckled. "While the king's eyes are more red than mine, his hair is something of a dull dark brown...like most Ixa'Takans. He dyes his hair like many of the Hortekan tribe do. His family keeps the secret of the sacred crop, and has for thousands of years. My family has always done so as well, but as priests, sages or other such wise men. In truth, the Kaen Shwartz tribe has been ruling Ixa'Taka for most of the time since the destruction of the world." He stopped his story when he heard Aern laugh. "Did something I say amuse you?" 

"Just your tribe's name. You do know what _kaen shwartz_ means, don't you?" 

"Of course: Kaen meaning "wing" and Shwartz meaning "dark" or "black". "Dark Wings" would be the translation into the common Mid-Ocean tongue. I know a smattering of your language, young man...although probably not enough to last ten minutes in the heart of your great city." He winced. "There are not many copies of old Shwartzian texts for me to read in the middle of a jungle." 

"Funny," Lani murmured. "but I seemed to have the same problem in the middle of Valua, and in Yafutoma, and also in Glacia..." 

"Books do not last the test of time, my dear lady. While they are precious to us, paper can only remain intact if left unhandled and sealed away, otherwise they tear and crumble to dust. But what good are books if we cannot read them?" Isapa had lead them to the dock, and he looked up at the massive metal hull of the Delphinus. "My, what a beast this is up close. It's like standing next to a metal arcwhale." 

"I guess I'll take that as a compliment." Vyse said sheepishly. If there was anything he truly loved in the world, it was his ship. "Lani, Aern, why don't you two take Isapa on board? The three of us will go back into town and round up the crew." He sighed. "They won't be happy...we just got here after all; but we can't waste any more time. Gilder needs that cure." 

* * * 

"Indeed, he does not look too well." 

"Yes, but if he were a weaker man, he probably would have died already." 

The voices were distant, muzzy...as if Gilder was listening to somebody speak while half-sleeping. He felt beyond feverish, and everything around him seemed...strange. The world was slightly off-key, the light the wrong color, the shapes and sizes of the objects in his cabin not correct. It was as if some otherworldly creature came along and manipulated everything just to specifically torture the blue rogue's exhausted psyche. It was bad enough that his body felt burned out, that it was all he could do to get up to use the bathroom...but the fact that his mind was now effected highly disturbed Gilder. 

A brown and purple blur hovered and bounced in front of Gilder's watery eyes, like some sort of demonic balloon. After a few moments of extensive blinking, his vision recovered enough for him to realize that it was the face of a man that hovered at his bedside....a round-faced man with a thick purple beard and balding head. 

"Gilder? Can you hear me?" The bearded man peered at him intently. "Hmm...I hope he isn't too far gone." 

"I hear you." His voice sounded like a stranger's, drunk on too much loqua. It was much too heavy and slurred to be his own. "I'm not gone yet." 

"Hmm, hmm...yes. Not yet, not yet. But Gilder...can you tell me how you feel?" The round face seemed genuinely concerned. 

"Like shit." It was the best sum-up he could give. 

"Well, I figure you would....yes. But tell me...how do your arms feel? Your head? Does your stomach hurt? That sort of thing." 

Gilder struggled to sit up, and felt somebody help him. He glanced over to see who it was, and saw a blurred pale face framed by purple hair. Aern. Normally Gilder would be annoyed by the fact that another man would be touching him in a familiar manner, but he didn't have the energy to complain. "My legs...and arms feel tingly. Hot. I'm hot all over." He swallowed. "My tongue feels huge. Hair's all sweaty. Hurts behind my eyes....hurts in my groin, hurts in my stomach, my back...like I swam for miles." His head nodded forward onto his chest, unable to hold it up for any amount of time. "Mind is tired, too. It hurts to think, everything is weird. The air feels weird. The bed feels funny..." he trailed off, feeling his voice getting weaker in his throat. 

"Hush now, son. Save your breath until after we cure you." The bearded man smiled and helped Gilder lay back down again. "Just rest for now." 

"Good idea," Gilder mumbled as he began to stray towards sleep again. 

"He's delirious." the fat man's voice said, penetrating the warm darkness that Gilder was tumbling towards. "It isn't far away, but making the antivenom takes a good hour or so." 

"So I've been taught." came Aern's voice, sounding as if the Cleric was standing at the bottom of a well. "I don't think he'll make it through the day, Isapa. If we don't cure him immediately, he will die." 

It seemed that for some reason, that thought should have upset Gilder; perhaps sent him to angry raving, childish weeping, or to any sort of response humans made at the mention of their own impeding death. It didn't phase him, however...it didn't even seem important. Nothing was important to Gilder, not now. All he wanted to do was drift down into the quiet, welcoming darkness of sleep. 

* * * 

"Pull up there...yes, there." Isapa pointed to a flat strand of stone along the side of the tall island. The island was nothing more than a smallish mountain, only a thousand or so feet high from base to peak, with several waterfalls splashing down the sides. There were many flat spots of land, however, that were dotted with tropical wildflowers. 

Vyse pulled the small shoring boat up to where the priest indicated, allowing Aika to moor it to a sturdy bush before shutting down the engines. He watched Isapa clamber out of the vessel with a frown. As highly respected as Isapa may be in Horteka, Vyse viewed him as a bit too eccentric. "You sure it's here?" 

"Yes, of course I am. My family has been taking care of these...oh." He became distracted by something he saw on the island, frowning a bit. "Oh, that's not good. I knew I should have come back here more recently." 

"What? What is it?" Aika scanned the island in alarm. 

"The rope bridge to the appropriate cliff has broken. And a fat man like me can't climb." 

"That's all right, I can get to it." Aern was already removing his cloak. "Is it that cliff there, the one next to that larger waterfall?" 

"Yes. You plan on transforming?" 

"Of course I do, but I'd rather do it where nobody can watch me. I'd prefer privacy." He strode off into the trees that sat at the foot of the mountain, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. 

"Aern doesn't like being seen naked." Aika said blandly in response to Isapa's quizzical look. "I don't think he minds in Mi...uh...in his other form, but he's touchy about undressing in front of us." 

"Mivarae." Isapa corrected. "And I can understand his modesty. He comes from a very proud and formal race of people." He looked up to the trees. "Ah, here he comes." 

The sleek gray creature emerged from the copse of greenery, and gathered himself up, bunching his leg muscles. Leaping into the air, he flapped a bit ponderously, not a small creature to begin with, and made his way to the cliff that was sprinkled with tiny white dots. They watched as he moved about the obviously terraformed cliff, stooping to pick handfuls of the crop that Isapa's family had tended to for so many generations. After a few minutes, he swooped down, and handed his gatherings to Fina, who glanced at the tiny white flowers and feathery leaves briefly before putting them in a bag they brought specifically for that purpose. 

"They smell lovely." she marveled. "They're so little, so I'd never think that they would give off such a strong smell." 

Aern made no comment, but ran back to the group of trees in a strange four-legged lope to transform and get dressed. It was like watching an ape run...an ape with white fur, long tail, wings and features that were definately not simian. 

"I know he's our friend, but I still haven't gotten used to him." Vyse commented. "There are just some things that make us humans feel funny, I guess." 

"He's a bit strange to me, too, and don't forget that I'm not defined as the same kind of human as you are." Fina said. "I'm a Silvite, remember?" 

"Yeah, but to me...you're just Fina. No matter what world either of our ancestors came from, we're still alike, and still friends." He smiled at her. "Right?" 

For some reason, she blushed. "Thank you, Vyse...although I realize that now. For a long while, I felt alienated." 

"Is that why you do not have the tattoos of womanhood?" Isapa asked. "You did not want to seem more different?" 

Fina blushed a shade darker. "Umm, no...that's not it. I had planned, but..." She hesitated. 

"But what?" the priest pressed. 

"But..." She put her hands to her cheeks, setting her eyes on the ground. "I'm still a virgin. I haven't...y'know, so I'm not a woman yet...not by Silvite tradition." 

"Oh, I didn't mean to pry, young lady. I just thought..." Isapa shook his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarass you. I just had figured that you had found yourself a man. You are quite beautiful, after all." 

"I guess, but I'm not like other Silvites." She shook her head, setting her earrings to jangling. "I won't sleep with a man just to be considered a woman, and then go looking for a husband after the fact...that seems rather backwards to me. I like the Mid-Oceaner tradition, of waiting until you find the right person." She cleared her throat. "It seems a bit more decent to me." 

Vyse patted her on the back to ease her discomfort, and began to say something supportive. "There's nothing wrong with--" He stopped short when Aern hurried back out to meet them. "We can talk about this later. We have a friend to cure...right Aern?" 

The Shwartzian nodded, making his way to the boat. "Right. I have a life to save." 

* * * 

The world spun, even when it was doused in darkness. The lights were shut off in the cabin, his eyes were shut as well, and yet it felt as if he was on a carosel that spun far too quickly. If he had anything left in his stomach, Gilder would have been sick. After so many hours of dry heaves, his stomach was as empty as his mind. He just couldn't think, couldn't bring himself to understand what was happening. His venom-muddled brain attempted to make sense of the spinning, and of the way the lights suddenly turned on, but he couldn't make head or tails of it. It was all so confusing, not to mention terrifying. 

Voices entered the room as well, taunting him, torturing him with their odd, distorted tones. He clutched at the bedsheets that were soaked with his sweat and weakly screamed at them, crying out in horror and loathing, hoping to drive them off. He was weeping, he knew it, but didn't care...he was afraid. 

Something reached out and touched his hand, but when he looked around to see what it was, he could only see a whirling mass of colors. Tentatively touching it with his numbed fingers, he realized it was somebody's hand. He sobbed, asking the unseen person to make the hurt go away, make the colors and spinning light stop, to make his torture end. Was it his mother? No, not her...she was gone, long gone. He was alone now, alone in a bizzare world of abstract shapes, spinning dizzily while the tinny sound of uncomprehensable voices floated in the heavy, surreal air. 

A voice, more clear than the other ones, came to him, talking to him softly. Somehow, the room shifted beneath Gilder so he wasn't laying on his side anymore. It spun queasily until hands grabbed him, steadying him, holding him down against the bed in a sitting position. The room stopped spinning, the light done twirling in front of his eyes. The kind voice spoke again, still soothing, and something was held to his mouth. What was this? It smelled...sweet. A cup. A cup of something that smelled like purfume...or tea, maybe? Did he even remember what tea smelled like? A few drops slipped into his parched mouth, and suddenly thirst took over, and he drank the warm, sweet-smelling liquid instinctively. He could feel its warmth rushing through his veins, different than the burning sensation that had numbed his body to the bone. The room stilled a bit, the air felt less heavy, and the voices no longer seemed belligerant. 

He felt himself slide down to lay on his back...no, somebody was helping him. The same voice spoke to him...a male voice. Was it familiar? He didn't care, this unseen helper had made the torture end, and now was telling him to sleep in the same gentle tones. He smiled; it was as if this man knew exactly what Gilder wanted. The demons of color and light and sound fell away, and the blue rogue slipped into the silent solice of sleep. 

* * * 

When Aern stepped into the meeting room, a chorus of voices suddenly assailed him. He held his hands up a bit wearily. "Please...please, calm down you three." 

The three blue rogues uttered apologies, and then turned their eyes to him again. It was Vyse who spoke, though. "So...how is he?" 

"I just administered the antivenom to him...but it takes a while. Even if he is recovering, he will sleep for quite a bit." He sighed and rubbed at his eyes with a hand. "I just hope that I remembered how to do it correctly. I'm young, so..." 

"You're tired..." Aika said in concern. "You should sit down and have a break. Why don't you sit here with us? Urala made us some coffee and pastries..." 

The scarlet-eyed man smiled wanly. "Thank you, but no. As part of a Cleric's oath, my patient's well being always goes before my own. Until I am ready to drop dead from exhaustion, I'll keep an eye on him." He eyed the almond turnovers, and snagged one anyway. "I take that back. I'll eat one of these, then see about asking Urala to prepare something easy for Gilder to eat. Lani and Isapa are with him right now, so there's no reason why I can't take a brief meal and a nap." He took a bite of the pastry, nodded his thanks, and exited the meeting room in the quiet manner he always had. 

Fina couldn't help but laugh a bit. "He's like you, Vyse." 

"How so?" He looked at her over the rim of his coffee mug. 

"Well...he's very persistant, and a bit stubborn as well. He just won't give up." 

"And that's a bad trait?" One of his dark eyebrows shot up. 

She laughed again. "No, not at all, right Aika?" 

Aika nodded. "Right. Vyse and Aern share a lot of the same good traits, I think. You do too, Fina...you're a good person. I really thought so after what you said to Isapa this afternoon, about tattoos and virginity and stuff." 

"Oh, um...thank you." She cast her green eyes down to the tabletop. "I know it's a Mid-Oceaner tradition, but many people don't follow it. I just thought that other people my age might think me to be kind of um...a loser." 

Aika shook her head. "No, I don't think you're a loser. I think you're very wise...some people jump into things without knowing what it's all about." She folded her hands neatly in front of her, staring at the opposite wall. "I'm speaking from personal experience." 

"Then, you...?" 

The redhead made a rueful face. "Once...and I'd rather not talk about it. Let's just say that I made a mistake, and leave it at that." She coughed, a bit embarassed, and then smiled a bit. "Trust me though, you're a good girl, at least by Mid-Oceaner standards. Right Vyse?" 

"Right. Although, you never told us about this tattoo thing. What do the other tattoos you have mean? You never told us." He spread his hands with an apologetic smile. "I'm just curious." 

"Oh, well…I suppose I never told the two of you because you never asked." Fina swirled the coffee around in her mug. "When Silvites are born, they receive a tattoo that is in old Silvite runes, of their name. The females get it on their forheads, and the males over their heart." She pointed at the mark on her forhead with a slender finger. "This doesn't exactly say "Fina", but it would be said more like "Faena". I modified my name a bit, so I could speak it and write it in the common language. "Faena" means "love" in old Silvite." 

"What does "Ramirez" mean?" Aika asked, curious. 

"It's not simple like mine. His name in old Silvite would be more like "Rah Mae Res", which means "The Sun's Child". "Res" was what Silvites called the sun." She traced something on the tabletop with her finger, a somewhat circular pattern. "His naming tattoo looked like this, sort of like a sun with a smaller circle inside it." 

"Now wait a minute, if only women get tattoos on their forheads, then why did some of the Elders in the Great Silver Shrine have tattoos on their heads?" Vyse frowned. "I'm confused." 

"That's because they were married. When a Silvite marries, they put their partner's tattoo on their body. For instance, if I was to be married, I would have my husband's tattoo placed over my heart. He would have mine placed on his forhead. It's a symbol of joining and bonding that lasts forever, even more than the wedding rings island-dwellers use." She smiled. "A wedding ring can be removed, if somebody wants to try adultry. Tattoos aren't removed as easily, so Silvite marraiges are usually for life." She sighed. "More like were. If I'm the last of my race, then I doubt I will be married in the traditional fashion." 

"Um, do you want to be? Because we can do whatever you want for you when you're married." Aika grinned. "That's what friends are for." 

Fina blushed. "Well, that's if I'm getting married….and that's a big if. But no, I think I would prefer to live as a Mid-Oceaner. I already told Isapa that I did not want to go through the whole womanhood ceremony, so I do not want to go through the pre-marital ceremony either. Silvite ceremonies are very formal, and very long." She wrinkled her nose. "Not to mention boring." 

"Sounds like going to church." Vyse grunted. Then he laughed. "But you're a Silvite, and you're saying that all these ceremonies are formal and boring? When we first met you, you were all about formality. I think you've been around us too much, Fina." 

The Silvite smiled. "I don't mind if you've rubbed off on me. And there is no such thing as "being around us too much". Always remember that." 

*** 

Breathing in deeply, Gilder marveled at how well he could do so. It seemed that not too long ago, every breath was an effort, every heaving of his chest made his insides burn like fire. Now, he felt as if he could stand on deck and shout the alphabet backwards. Well, almost; his legs still felt a bit rubbery, and he figured that just trying to walk around would be a major effort on his part. He had no idea how long he had been sleeping, but he knew that it was enough to let him feel somewhat better. 

He opened his eyes and looked around his cabin. Everything seemed in the norm, from the small round window to the metal walls. Lani sat on a chair at his bedside, reading a book. Gilder somehow knew that he would find her here, doing just that. It's what she had done the whole time Vyse was knocked unconcious, and it was what she did for Gilder up until the point where he had gotten a bit too friendly. He was somewhat glad to see her there despite that, but also somewhat remorseful for what he had done, even if it was caused by the venom. 

Almost as if she felt his eyes on her, Lani glanced up from her book. "Ah, good. You're awake." She set her book aside. "Are you hungry?" 

"A bit." He sat up, and then smiled when he realized he could do so without getting dizzy. "I don't remember too much from the past few days…except in the middle of the worst of it, somebody's voice spoke to me, and told me it was going to be all right." 

"Aern." Lani went to a tray that obviously had been brought in not too long ago, and spooned up a bowl of soup that was still warm from the larger crock that sat on the tray. "I watched him administer you the antidote." The lines in her face suddenly became hard. "You were delirious. Isapa and I tried to talk to you, but you wouldn't listen…you screamed at us, and flailed your arms for all you were worth." 

"I was frightened, as much as I hate to admit it. Everything was so messed up, I couldn't understand." 

"Yes, well…Aern came over, and it was strange. He just…touched you. He spoke to you quietly, like he would to a crying child, and grabbed your arms. When he did that, you stopped your ranting. You even sat still while he gave you the antivenom." She shook her head as she walked over and offered him the bowl. "I've never seen anything like it. Usually when people are that far into delirium, they believe that everything is harmful to them." 

The tall blue rogue sighed, accepting the soup. "So I was crying for mommy, but to Aern?" He laughed humorlessly. "That's embarassing." 

"I wouldn't be embarassed, Gilder. I would be grateful for being alive. Isapa and I believed that you were too far gone, but we didn't say too much against Aern's judgement. He believed that he could save you, and save you he did." 

Spooning soup into his mouth, he nodded gratefully. He suddenly realized that he was famished. "Where is Aern? I need to thank him." 

"Sleeping. We made him go to bed, after making him eat a real meal. He hadn't slept since you were poisoned, aside of a catnap he had yesterday. He really hadn't eaten too much either, probably because he was anxious." She shook her head. "For somebody so young, he really is serious about being a healer." 

"How long was I poisoned?" Gilder asked between spoonfuls of soup. 

"About two and a half days, but then Aern wanted to make sure you were on the mend. This is the third night since you were poisoned; you've been sleeping ever since he treated you." 

"Damn." He shook his head, smiling. "That skinny guy gave it his all, just so I'd make it okay? I don't even know him that well, too. I really should find some way to thank him. Damn." He said again. Then his smile faded as he noticed the bitemark on his lower lip, and he set the soup bowl aside. "Lani, I need to thank you too." 

She shrugged. "I'm a doctor. I'm doing what I'm supposed to do." 

"No…I don't only want to thank you." Gilder lowered his face a moment, frowning. "I tried to do a horribly thing to you, Lani…a really despicable thing. I would never do that if I was sane, or whole, or myself." He raised his face to look at her, sincerity in his brown eyes. "Please, don't think I would ever do that. Not for a minute. I hate what I tried to do, hate that I came so damn close. I would never hurt a woman, never in a million years." 

The Yafutoman woman looked at him from where she was seated, her black eyes understanding. "I know you wouldn't, Gilder. You're a Blue Rogue, you live by a code." She reached out and patted his hand kindly. "I know that even if you weren't a Blue Rogue, that you would never do such a thing anyway. I'm not sure how I know, but I do. You have a good soul." 

"So you forgive me? Please tell me you do…if you can't yet, I will do anything to make it up to you. Just name it. Please. Anything. Anything so I can hear you say "I forgive you"." 

She smiled. "I forgive you. You weren't yourself, we both know it." Her eyes flickered skywards in mock-annoyance. "Although I haven't entirely forgiven you for all the flirting and attempts to get me into bed." 

"That, I can't help. I'm a hound at heart, Lani; a hound, but one with the soul of a gentleman. I may be a wolf with women, but only so I can treat each one like a queen." 

Lani gave his hand a squeeze. "Do you know what? Even though I haven't known you long, I believe every word of that statement." 

"Does that mean--?" 

She sat back in her chair and picked up her book, answering his question before he could finish it. "Don't get your hopes up." 

He smiled sheepishly, and picked up his soup again. "Can't blame a guy for trying." 


	19. Chapter 18: Through the Gates

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN  
Through the Gates**

A cheer rose from the six people who sat at the table in the common room of one of Sailor's Isle's many inns as a seventh person approached them. Gilder, who seemed to be his old self, bowed and grinned wolfishly at them. 

"Please, please...hold your applause. Just because I can bathe and shave myself doesn't mean you have to be horribly proud of that fact." His brown eyes twinkled as he sat down at the table with them, his mood definately lighter now that he was well. 

The group of them laughed, and Aika cuffed him on the shoulder. "We're just glad to see you back to normal. Even if we recently found out how hairy your chest and legs are." 

His fine-boned nose wrinkled, and his glasses sat askew for a moment. "I'm not that hairy. And some women find it sexy." He frowned when they laughed again. 

"Women who are into bears?" Vyse murumured with a grin. 

"You're just jealous because you seem to be testosterone-deprived, my friend. I doubt you even have to shave yet." Gilder's tone appeared serious, but his facial expression was not. 

"Just because I've decided not to have a little fuzzy triangle on my chin doesn't mean I don't have the ability." Vyse shot back. 

"Wimp." 

"Shag rug." 

"Little girl." 

"Billy goat." 

"It's good to see people in good spirits." Isapa put in before the playful bantering could continue. "Levity is good for the soul." 

"We need a few good laughs." Fina said. "Events of late have been a bit stressful." 

"Hey, look at it this way." the red-clad blue rogue waved the waitress over as he spoke. "Shit happened, yes. Really bad shit happened, hell yes. But through all this garbage, some good came out of it. We're all still here, in fine form and health I might add, en route to a place none of us have ever seen before. Uh, "us" sans one, anyway." 

Aern nodded in reply to that. 

Gilder continued to speak as the waitress approached. "Because we're good and happy, I'm feeling gracious." He looked up at the somewhat amply-busted serving girl with a pleasant grin. "Hello there, my dear. Would you be kind enough to bring this lot here whatever's best on tap today? And whatever is cooking in your kitchen today, too." After the waitress nodded, and walked off, he called after her, "And keep it coming as long as they can take it!" 

"That's rather kind of you, Gilder." Lani smiled. 

"Yeah, a little out of character because I know Gilder, and I know he rarely wastes his gold on anything other than himself and women he wants to get in bed." The scarred blue rogue looked at his friend. "Are you really treating?" 

"Of course." he said with a completely straight face. "Especially since before I came down from the Delphinus I took the liberty of breaking into your private stashbox so I could afford to so kindly treat all my friends to a drink." 

The grin on his scarred face faded. "What?!" He stood up suddenly, nearly knocking Fina and Lani off the bench in the process. "You bastard...get over here!" 

Gilder pounded his fist on the table, laughing along with the others. "Oh c'mon Vyse. It's not like it was _really_ your money in the first place." 

Vyse was not laughing. "Hey, after I steal it and redistribute it, what cut I keep is mine and only mine." He edged around to where Gilder sat, and swiped the smoked glasses off his nose. "Although we could trade. These for the gold." 

The taller man grunted and made a grab for the glasses but missed, much to the amusement of his companions. "You're dirty stinking rich anyway...it doesn't matter. And I want my damn glasses." 

"I dunno, I'm starting to like them." He pulled the skyseer patch down from over his eye, and placed the glasses on his nose. "I think they're me. Now if only I had a fuzzy spot on my chin and a labido the size of Valua I could be you." 

"Hey, I'm serious. Those are expensive." 

Vyse put his hand to his chin in a mimickry of one of Gilder's more familiar poses. "Yes, these smoked glasses lenses are expensive, aren't they?" he said, imitating Gilder's voice. He turned to Aika. "Hello there, my fine lady friend. Can I interest you in a drink, an hour in bed, and some false promises?" 

"Only if you shave your chest." She laughed when Gilder gave her a shove. 

Aern sighed and shook his head, putting a hand to his temple. 

"Something wrong, Aern?" the Silvite woman seated next to him asked. 

"Yes...as well and good as a sense of humor is..." The Shwartzian looked up to watch Gilder chase Aika around the room, who now wore his glasses while singing a rather raunchy song. "...I have a feeling that it'll be a long trip to Shwartzia." 

*** 

Despite the goofy behavior and amount of loqua from the previous night, Vyse had his crew ready to go bright and early as usual, and the Delphinus shoved off from port not long after...much to the chagrin of some people on board. 

"It's too bright in here." Gilder complained as he stood towards the back of the bridge. 

Vyse glanced back over his shoulder from where he stood at the navigator's station with Aika. "The lights aren't on, since it's sunny outside." 

"That's why it's too bright in here." he winced. "And it's too loud." 

"You really shouldn't have drank so much." the ship's captain said. 

"I wanted to." 

"Yes, but your body still hasn't caught up with itself...so your alcohol tolerance isn't what it was before. I mean, Aika drank more than you did and she's fine." 

Gilder grunted at the sound of the bridge's door shutting, and watched as Aern walked in. "Hey, Aern...I have a helluva headache this morning. Mind helping me out?" 

The Shwartzian, who had not drank quite as much as some the previous night, shrugged. "Go get a drink of water." 

The tall pirate glowered at him. "That's not very helpful." 

He gave Gilder a knowing glance as he walked over to where Aika and Vyse stood. "Sure it is. Your head hurts because your body is dehydrated. When you drink too much alcohol, it--" 

"Never mind. I don't need a medical lecture." 

"I'm sure if you got yourself a glass of water--" 

"Stuff it, vampy. I'm going to find some mojoca." He turned and walked towards the door. 

Aern frowned. "But mojoca will only dehydr--" 

"I said shut up." Gilder shut the door behind him, albeit a bit gingerly. 

The shwartzian looked at the large metal door after Gilder had left and raised a dark eyebrow. ""Vampy"?" 

"You do remind me of the vampires from stories, Aern." Aika admitted. "I mean, with your odd clothes and pale skin, and then there's your accent..." 

"And when have you seen me suck blood?" he said, frowning down at the map spread on the table before them. "Not to mention that vampires are supposed to be notoriously handsome and charming." 

"You are good looking." She elbowed Vyse, who chuckled from that remark. "No comments from the peanut gallery." 

"I'm not Mr. Charisma either." the Shwartzian continued. "In all honesty, I don't have the traits to be a vampire, other than being able to transform into Mivaria form, which I suppose is something like a bat. And I don't bite people's necks." He seemed somewhat offended by the concept. 

"Okay, so I admit to thinking you were a vampire when I first saw you, and maybe I mentioned that to Gilder in passing, but c'mon...we know you're not, right Vyse?" 

"Can't say I met many vampires, anyway. You seem fairly normal to me, Aern." The scarred blue rogue jabbed a finger at the dark swirl that signified the Dark Rift on his map. "And since you're a normal guy and not a bloodsucker, I'm sure you wouldn't mind changing the subject to more important matters, like getting us down to Shwartzia." 

"Even though Gaed isn't here, I'm positive that I can get us down." It was faint, but it sounded as if he held some bitterness behind that statement. Looking down at the map, he scanned the Great Nasr Ocean, which was dotted with small islands with meaningless lables for the names of them. Some sailors argued about the true names of the lesser-known and least-important uninhabited islands, but most decided not to be bothered with them. "Where are we now? Are we close to Cape Victory?" 

"We should pass over the rift to the northwest of it within the hour." Aika said confidently. "We can be to the Rift by nightfall." 

"Nightfall." Aern pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Very well. When we enter the Rift, I will fly on ahead, and you can follow me. I'll be careful not to fly too far ahead, either." he added dryly. 

"We'd appreciate it." Vyse smirked. 

* * * 

The western horizon glowed a hazy orange-red behind the Delphinus as it passed the last of the Red Moon's southern lands, on its way to the dark swirling mass crowned by constant storm clouds that was the Dark Rift. The clouds rarely cleared above the rift, another factor making it hard to navigate; sailors weren't always sure where they were entering and leaving. The islands near the rift were unusual in that they constantly moved and shifted about, changing their position like lilypads floating in a pond. These factors along with the chill, damp and gusty weather made sailing near the Rift just about as difficult as sailing through it. 

It was obvious to Vyse that the crew was anxious. He could understand their tense nerves, since he didn't like entering the Rift any more than the next guy on board. He had gone through the blue-black storm a few times before, but that didn't stop him from feeling nervous. 

Empathy, however, was the main reason for Vyse's taut nerves. He glanced over to his right, where Fina stood beside him, hand clutched to her chest, biting her lip. If anything, her reaction was making him feel even more on edge, and he knew it wasn't because of the dangerous storm rift before them. He wondered what it would be like, to know that an entire race of people depended on you to survive...and yet not know what those people expected you to do. His hands gripped the wheel tighter as he imagined quailing about it, and momentarily felt lucky that the burden wasn't placed on his shoulders. Only momentarily. 

"We'll be in soon." she said, noting his tighter grip on the helm. Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper, as if raising it may reveal the turmoil in the speaker's mind. 

"I know." he answered just as quietly. He doubted anybody on the bridge heard him speak besides Fina. "We'll get this over with soon." 

"Mmm." she replied, hugging herself as if cold. After a pause, she grasped after conversation again. "Nervous?" 

Vyse ignored the rhetorical question, knowing the real reason why she had spoken that particular word, and looked over at her. She looked so small, so frail and even though she stood only a few feet from him, she appeared very alone as well. It was as if she was the only one who stood on this bridge, the only one entering this strange place, and he could only watch from a distance. He wished he could turn the ship around, to take the burden from her shoulders, to do it himself somehow...to do anything to give her peace. 

"I hope this doesn't take too long." She shivered, her eyes shimmering a bit in the lights in the instrument panel, and his thoughts redoubled themselves. He wanted to put the ship at full stop, and tell her that he would go no further. No, what he really wanted to do was let go of the wheel and put his arms around her and tell her that it would be all right, to smooth back her hair and let her know that she wasn't alone. 

"I'd take it all away, if I could." he said softly. 

The silvite looked at him quizzically with her green eyes. "Vyse...?" 

"The rift, Shwartzia, even Aern...I'd wish it all away so you could go home, Fina. Just so you could be back at Crescent Isle where you're happy." He had no idea why he said it, but he knew that somehow it was the right thing to say. 

Her face was almost unreadable, but Vyse knew what she was thinking when she opened her mouth to speak. "You would..." 

"Yeah. I hate this. I hate this because you hate it all." His grip tightened on the spokes of the wheel again. "We're air pirates, we're not miracle workers. You're only human, Fina...and so am I. Shwartzia's become like a wave, and we're lost trying to swim against it in the middle of a hurricane." His voice dropped even lower, but not because he was preventing anybody from hearing him...it was more like he was quietly repeating his thoughts out loud. "If I could give you sanctuary and shelter from that storm, I would. A safe haven, something, anything to keep you from being caught up and carried away by that tide." The scarred blue rogue lowered his amber eyes to stare at his tanned hands, which still held onto the wheel. "I just wanted you to know that I would do that, if I could." 

She was beginning to cry, he knew it. He could sense it from her, and hear it in her voice when she spoke. "Why...? Why do you say these things now?" 

"Just because--" he began, but then was cut short by a squawking sound from the talk tube. 

" ..yse? You ready?" Aika's voice sounded thin coming through the horn-shaped device. "Aern's in position." 

Vyse blinked, giving a start, and looked at Fina's misty eyes for a moment before responding. "Yeah, ready." he said loudly into the tube. "Launch the Shwartzian." 

"Aye!" The redhead could be heard saying something to Aern, who stood on the deck next to her in Mivaria form. The Shwartzian nodded and took off, gliding in front of the Delphinus' bow while holding onto a moonstone lantern. "Bird's in flight." came Aika's voice again. 

The captain began issuing orders. "Hans, lower propellers at half speed. Easy does it." 

"Aye, captain." The boy carefully gave the engines a nudge. 

"Valim, watch that barometer. If things start to get buggy, give a shout." 

"Aye, cap'n." The Nasrian man carefully watched the gages in front of him. 

"Tika, watch Aern's lantern. If you can't see it for even a second, shout for all stop." 

"My eyes won't lose it, captain." came Tika-Tika's voice from where he was stationed at the lookout's post. 

He was about to give Fina an order, but decided against it. It wasn't as if she could help navigate very well anyway. "All right, here we go." 

The Delphinus carefully followed behind Aern as he entered the first calm area of the rift. Aika stood on deck, dark brown cloak whipping around her, bravely watching her dragonic friend as he flew on ahead, dauntless. Her hands tightened slightly on the rail as they entered one of the thick, stormy areas. She had never thought about it before, but now storms frightened her. She had a feeling that ever since falling from the Belleza, she would not be able to overcome that fear. Still, it was her duty to stand on the deck, and watch her friend as... 

...as the storm clouds before him melted away, leaving a clear pathway behind him. 

Aika's jaw dropped as she gaped. "Uh..." she began to lean down to the talk tube to speak, and decided against it. There was no way that the bridge could have missed that, especially since they were now entering the strange tunnel that Aern had somehow created. Lightning flashed, the wind roared, but nothing seemed to touch the large silver ship and lone gray figure flying before it. She glanced back for a moment, knowing the lookout was also watching the flying Mivaria before them. It was hard to be sure, but she thought she saw the clouds closing just behind the Delphinus' wake. Shivering, Aika turned back to watch Aern again. There was no turning back now. 

They entered another calm section, but this one lacked the remains of crashed ships on the strangely twisted land masses. Instead, there was an odd sort of forest, the thick yellowish-green leaves of the gnarled trees glowing quietly in the darkness. An occasional shrub with glowing red flowers or large balloon-like glowing mushroom would stand out among the luminecent forest, adding to the only kind of light the plants could live off of: their own. It was eerie, but beautiful at the same time. Aern continued on, however, ignoring the forest as if he had seen it a hundred times before. 

Another calm tunnel surrounded them as they passed through roaring storm clouds. The light from the photophosphorent forest faded away, and the only light came from the Delphinus and the silver moonstone lantern Aern held. A small beacon in the darkness to lead a larger beacon. Aika couldn't help but shudder. 

Another area opened up, this one less populated by glowing plants. Still, Aika could see... 

"Moons..." she breathed, looking at the area they passed over. 

The remains of a city lay below them, lit up by the Delphinus' search lights. The buildings seemed to curve gently to a point, like purpleish-black seashells. Other buildings had domed roofs made of the same blue-black rock, partially falling in on themselves. Yet other bits of civilization remained: a plaza with a now-dry fountain centered in it; a forgotten garden that had long since been overrun by glowing weeds; empty store fronts with shattered windows. The Delphinus moved on, and soon the deserted Shwartzian city lay behind them. 

They went through another clear pathway behind Aern, like worms burrowing through dark soil. As they went on, Aika began to wonder how long it would take them. She knew that going through the Dark Rift took at least a day, but she wasn't sure how long it would take them to get to Shwartzia. She hoped that it wasn't too long...the lantern Aern held would only last about five hours, and they already had been travelling a few hours. 

Then a large calm area appeared before them, and to her surprise, Aika recognized it. Small black stones shimmered in the air all around them, all orbiting the large black stone glowing darkly at the center. It then occurred to her that Aern had cut straight through to the center of the Rift where they were now, where the large Black Moonstone hovered. Where it would have taken them half a day of hopping from calm spot to calm spot, it only took them a little over two hours this time around. 

Dipping his pinions, Aern glided over to the large stone at the center of what had to be the eye of the storm. Another dark purple light appeared, mirroring the light from the large moonstone, but this light came from within the Shwartzian himself. Aika watched, transfixed, as Aern arched his back and the light within him intensified. The large stone gave back that same glow, and the smaller ones began to do so as well. Their light intensified as they began to revolve faster around the stone, swirling downwards like water going down a drain. Then there was a hissing rumble, like some distant waterfall, and the clouds below them swirled down into a deep funnel. 

The Mivaria turned to face her, ponderously flapping his wings, and pointed downwards with a clawed digit. He then began circling down into the darkness below, heedless of the swirling whirlpool of clouds around him. 

"Vyse! We go down!" Aika shouted into the tube. 

"Down?" said Vyse's voice in a tinny manner. "Is that hole big enough for the ship?" 

"Looks that way!" the redhead replied loudly. "We'd better move before we lose Aern!" 

As they decended down the swirling maw, darkness swallowed them completely. Although she wasn't afraid of the dark, Aika tightly gripped the rail. A memory from childhood where she had fallen down a well surfaced, and she shivered, the chill, heavy air reminding her of the cold, dark well. It seemed like the inky blackness around her was smothering, the air down here was heavier, thicker. Suddenly it seemed too heavy...too stifling. Coughing, she struggled to breathe, forced to her knees by some intense pressure, every second it growing greater. It felt as if her eyes were being forced from her face, her lips back from her teeth. There was some shouting coming from the talk tube....Vyse's voice, sounding panicky and then ending in a sudden click; she couldn't respond, couldn't move as she heard clacking from behind her. She felt like screaming in this crushing darkness, but was denied even that by the lack of breath. 

The stifling air lifted, and there was a light next to her. It was the moonstone lantern. She then realized she lay on her stomach on the deck, forced down that way. Large, strong hands picked her up gently, helping her to her feet. 

"Forgive me...I hope I was not too late." Aern's transformed voice rumbled like distant thunder. "Are you all right?" 

She leaned against the white-furred chest, coughing yet noticing that he was panting slightly from the effort of putting up his barrier. "...j...jerk!" She tried to scold him further, but succumbed to another fit of coughing as he patted her shoulder gently. Somehow that slight touch removed the burning from her lungs and the pain from her joints. "If I wasn't so pissed off at you for not telling me about that, I'd give you a hug for saving me." 

"I'm sorry." His eyes glowed blueish-purple, making the statement seem not quite as sincere as it really was. "I was hoping to make it to the gates with you right behind me, but I was too far ahead." The softly glowing eyes blinked in a strange manner, one inner eyelid closing before the outer ones covered it. "At least you seem all right. And you can still hug me if you want." It was hard to tell, but it seemed that the corners of his dragonic mouth turned up in a smile. 

"Right Aern...like you're a big ol' teddy bear." She ruffled the fur on his chest, noting how the Black Moon crystal shone dimly in his narrow torso. "So where are these gates?" 

The creature turned his head to look forward, blunt horns and mane of hair sillouetted in the cold light of the lantern. "Not much farther down. We need to clear the Great Cloud Sea first before we see the walls." 

"Walls...? Wait, into Deep Sky? We're going into Deep Sky, and I'm standing out here on deck?" She couldn't keep the note of panic out of her voice. No wonder it felt as if she was being crushed. Turning to look, she saw that the pressure shutters had closed on the bridge's windows. No doubt the sound she heard from the talk tube was them sealing it. 

"You're with me. You're safe." He looked at the shuttered windows behind them. "They didn't shut them until they saw me land next to you...so they know you're all right." 

"But...why didn't you tell me? I don't want to be out here when we're flying around Deep Sky." 

"I wanted you to see the gates as we entered, and then Gen Gulan beyond them." He stretched his wings slightly, producing a sound like wet canvas flapping. "It's something no island-dweller has ever seen...not the way it is now. I know that you wouldn't see it if you were on the bridge..." He walked with her to the talk tube, leading her away from the lantern into the shadows. "You've been so kind to me, Aika. You're the first friend I found in the lands of the island-dwellers, the first to not be afraid, the first to treat me the same way you'd want to be treated." Aern bowed his head, closing his glowing eyes until they were slits. "I just wanted to give you something back, as a thank you...even if it's only showing you my home." 

Her nervous expression melted away, and she began to laugh as she threw her arms around his slim chest, since he was far too tall for her to hug him around his neck. "Aern, you big dork...all because I was nice?" She laughed again. "Dork or not, you've saved my life. You don't have to pay me back any sort of way...I mean, I should do more for you. How could I not want to be friends with the guy who did that for me?" 

"Really?" He stood a bit awkwardly, not expecting her to react so enthusiastically. 

"Yeah, of course. Besides, you seemed kinda...alone. Nobody deserves to be alone." She crossed her arms over her chest and grinned up at him. "Right?" 

Aern nodded his reptilian head, mouth turned upwards in a smile. "You're right. But I still want you to see Gen Gulan and the gates." He tapped the talk tube loudly with a claw. After a few moments, a clicking sound was heard and Vyse's voice echoed from the trumpet-shaped device. 

"...hello? Aika, is that you? Are you all right?" He sounded concerned. 

"It's me, and yes, Aika is fine. I can maintan air pressure longer this time because there's only two people's air to manage. I'll guide you from here. Don't use your sonar, since it won't work properly over the water." 

"Water?" Vyse sounded a bit interested. 

"Yes, the sea. Don't ask me to explain now. Stop your drop in altitude. We don't want to land on the surface." 

"Right. Just give us a bearing." 

Via Aern, the Delphinus made its way through Deep Sky, slowly creeping along only about few hundred feet above the planet's surface. Dark clouds roiled overhead, occasionally illuminating things with a flash of lightning. Every time she got a good look at the clouds above, she would edge closer to the Shwartzian. He only smiled in his strange dragonic way, and continued to navigate for Vyse who stood at the helm. 

Looking over the rail, Aika could see nothing but darkness at first. Most of the times, the lightning was overhead, in the clouds. What flashes it did give from above didn't seem to be reflected back too well from the surface of Arcadia below, for some reason. Then, when finally a bolt of lightning raced down to the surface below, she saw the reason why. 

"There IS water!" she exclaimed, utterly surprised. Water? On the surface of the planet? What complete nonsense. What good would it do on the surface, anyway? 

"Of course. That is the ocean." Aern turned his head to glance at the sea with Mivarian eyes. In the flickers of electricty from above, they could see undulating waves on the water's surface. 

"That makes no sense. The ocean is above us." 

"No. The cloud seas are above us. The true ocean, an ocean made of water, is below us. Long ago, before unknown things tore Arcadia apart and forced the people and animals into the skies, this world was sustained by the vast ocean. Even today, it is the source of all the clouds in Arcadia, where all the island-dwellers get their water from through rain." He turned his head. "Ah. Look ahead, Aika. We can look at the sea later." 

The redhead turned to see pinpoints of light ahead. As the Delphinus drew nearer, she realized that it was a giant stone wall, marked here and there with glowing searchlights. The lights fixed on the Delphinus as it drew to a halt before the great wall, a wall that reminded Aika a bit of the old Grand Fortress, but without all the gun turrets. 

A voice was heard coming from somewhere near the top of the wall, which extended from far below the dark seas to the clouds swirling above. It shouted out in Shwartzian, sounding almost demanding. Aern replied in his own language, using a few key words such as "Silvite" that Aika could recognize. After a few moments of shouted conversation with the unseen man on the wall, the massive structure began to shudder, and open inwards. 

"We're going in the gates..." Aika murmured as Aern continued to shout directions into the talk tube. 

"Pardon?" he asked as he straightened. 

"We're heading into your city, through the gates. Through..." she squinted, looking at the purplish-black haze in front of them. "...a purple thing?" 

"A barrier, raised by the gate guardians. It is much like the barrier we are standing in. Once we enter, there will be no need for us to take precautions against high air pressure." It seemed that there was a slight slump to his slender yet muscular shoulders. "For that, I will be grateful. I am feeling quite a bit strained, small as our barrier is." 

Slowly they crept forward, growing closer to that strange, wavering, purpleish-black surface that resembled something like reflective water or a mirror. As it closed in on Aika and Aern, the redhead flinched away from it briefly before it touched her, and then blinked in surprise when she found that she felt nothing. She heard her companion laugh, a sound that seemed strange coming from a tall, monstrous creature. 

"Afraid it may tingle a bit? Instead of worrying about it, why not look ahead of you?" Behind him, the pressure shutters on the bridge opened, but the Shwartzian was pointing ahead with a clawed finger. 

Turning her head to look, Aika's eyes widened slowly as she saw what no island-dweller had seen in centuries. A massive island sat not floating in the air as she was accustomed to, but immersed partway into the deep sky ocean of water. Smaller islands were connected to it, some floating in air, some nestled on the sea, all connected by curving, graceful bridges dotted with softly glowing lights. Even below the water, she could see faint smears of wavering light, evidence that they had built something on the very surface of the planet itself. The buildings were, in a word, beautiful. All constructed of dark blue-black stone, much like the stone Aika had seen in the ruins they passed over, they varied from high-domed rotundas to gracefully curving spires, to a large, centrally-placed, smooth-sided pyramid even more advanced than the ones found in Rixis. These too were scattered with soft-edged glowing lights. The most impressive thing, however, was the massive stone sculpture of a pair of Mivaria wings that stretched from the back end of the city, swept along the outer edge of the latter half of the main island, and then crossed at the thumb-claws high above the pyramid at the center. Even the stone wings were made of the dark, unidentifyable rock that all of Shwartzia's single remaining city was constructed from. 

Aika felt Aern's clawed hand on her shoulder, and continued to stare at the wonder before her as his transformed voice rumbled beside her. "Welcome to my home, Aika...the place that your people haven't seen in over ten millenia. Welcome to Gen Gulan." 


	20. Chapter 19: City of Perpetual Darkness

Lunar Cycle: Chapter 19 **CHAPTER NINETEEN  
City of Perpetual Darkness**

All Vyse could do was stare. He had seen many strange things in his life, things that had lead to him becoming a living legend, but this topped the list. The ancient ruins of Rixis and Glacia, the strange empty corridors of Soltis, and even bizzare upside-down pathways of the Great Silver Shrine paled in existance to what was Gen Gulan. Gen Gulan wasn't how the others had been: a hollow, empty shell with faint traces left behind of what splendor and life it once held. No, the city of the Shwartizians lived. It was evident everywhere...from the ships both on the water below and the odd winged ships that glided about the air, to the lights that were scattered through the city like stars on nighttime skies. 

Managing to tear his eyes from the city, he saw that his companions stood very much like him, gaping in awe at the magnificent city, words completely escaping them. Lani stood with tears shining in her eyes, knowing that this was the rarest and most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and it would be so for the rest of her life. Isapa's grin was just about as wide as his eyes, and he looked like a child staring at chocolate in a store that he knew he would get his hands on sooner or later. Gilder's mouth hung open, his cigarette having fallen from his lips to the deck, forgotten. Fina stood next to him, wide-eyed, hand clutching at the Black Moonstone pendant that she had received for her birthday, her fears momentarily forgotten. Then her face shifted into a look of intense worry, and then hardened determination. He knew that she would do her best to help these people and their wonderous city. 

Looking at the city itself, Vyse wondered if Aern thought island-dweller cities such as Sailor's Isle and Nasrad were crude and ugly in comparison. It seemed to the Delphinus' captain that they suddenly were, that places he had once thought were spectacular suddenly dimmed in the glory of Gen Gulan. 

Guided by Aern's instructions, the Delphinus made her way down to a series of docks on one of the smaller islands that were linked to the larger main one that made up the bulk of the city. There was some shouting between Aern and various Shwartzians in the area...men who stood on the docks, Mivarae who flew through the air, Protectorates who stood on the decks of ships that passed by. All seemed excited and anxious, some a bit worrisome...but none seemed displeased by the sight of an island-dweller ship. Vyse noted that none of the people seemed to be much more than thirty. Many of the groups that greeted the Delphinus as it docked were made up of teenagers; teenagers with grave, serious eyes, but teenagers none the less. The gravity of the situation seemed even more so, and the scarred blue rogue gripped the spokes of the wheel tightly. They had to find some way to help these people, or their entire race would die out. 

After a few words with a group of three that jumped up onto the ship's deck with ease, Aern turned and lead them to the deck doors, Aika walking alongside of them. The three had to be a Protectorate, the clothing and way they walked clearly indicated that, if not their precise number. The tall, thin woman with close-cropped hair who spoke to Aern as they walked had to be the Sage, while the shorter teenager with waist-length hair seemed to be the Cleric. Much like Aern, she wore cream-colored clothing and a pair of simple red leather bracers. It was obvious that these bracers indicated a Cleric, one who could heal, just as much as a red cross indicated a doctor back up in the islands. The man of medium height who walked behind them with a fluid grace was no doubt the Warrior, as if his thickly muscled arms weren't an indication. He looked to be the oldest of the group, but he followed behind the Sage obediently. 

"They're very class conciencous, aren't they?" Lani asked of nobody in particular. "Even more so than Valua, it seems." 

"Let's hope that isn't a problem like it is sometimes in Valua." Vyse said while he watched the group disappear from the view of the bridge. He bent to the talk tube, cleared his throat, and then spoke loudly. "Attention, all hands. This is your captain speaking. For the duration of our stay, you are all ordered to remain on board the Delphinus. Those who do not obey will be subject to latrine and laundry duties for the next two months upon our return to Crecent Isle. I repeat: this is your captain. It is my order that none leave the Delphinus no matter what, until I return to the ship and order us to leave. Violators of this order will be scrubbing toilets and washing socks for nine weeks straight. That is all." He sighed as he stepped away from the device. "Hopefully that'll make everybody stay put. I don't want to be fishing for my crew in a strange city in case anything happens." 

"Good idea. Never know what will happen down here." Gilder was still looking out the bridge windows at the magnificence of Gen Gulan. "Let's just hope that nothing does happen." 

"Nothing will happen." Fina said in a confident tone. "If I am as important as Aern says, any who are my friends or who are important to me will not be harmed. I'm one of the head officers of this ship, so any members of my crew should be safe if I wish it." She turned as the doors to the bridge opened, and let her hand drop from her pendant as she saw Aern, Aika and the Protectorate enter. 

"Captain Vyse, this is Maena...she's the Sage of her Protectorate." Aern said as a means of introduction. "She'll escort us into the city." He turned to the short-haired woman. "_Maena, gae ist Vyse, Delphinus ae gallen, an meundain dem Silvite. Dae Silvite ist vam Faena...amer "Fina" ....ma schellanmentzae dae ins ae Aelmanallengai._" 

Vyse went to shake the hand of the woman with a smile. "I'm not sure if you understand me, and I'm not positive what "Aelmanallengai" means...but welcome to my ship. I'm very pleased and honored to be here in Gen Gulan." 

"I understand you, island-dweller, and that is just what Aelmanallengai means....it is the Shwartzian word for those who live in the islands above Deep Sky." Maena's accent was much thicker than Aern's, but she seemed to grasp the language fairly well, if her pronounciation was slightly outdated. "You are welcome here in Gen Gulan, even if we have not seen your kind in many many years." She turned to Fina and bowed her head formally. "_Su men wa, anaki, di koname ono noka zem._" 

Fina blinked and reached back into her memory for the proper response. "_Su men wa, anaki, di n...nanei unudai ono Res._" She then made a rueful face. "I'm sorry, but it's been so many years I've spoken Old Silvite, I barely remember any of it. When I left the Great Silver Shrine, we spoke the same language that the island-dwellers spoke." 

"And how fares the Shrine?" Maena asked politely. 

"It's gone. It crashed into Soltis." she said it in a bland manner, obviously hiding the pain behind an empassive mask. 

"Ah, what a pity." A brief flicker of grief passed over her face. "Then you are truly the last, yes?" 

Fina nodded solemnly. 

"Well, you have friends here in Shwartzia...ones you have not yet met, but ones that you will not forget. When you are done here, you will be known as a hero." 

"I just want to help. Please, let's not stand around here any longer...take me to wherever I'm supposed to go." 

"I will have to tell the Council that you're here, so until then, you will be under Aern's guidance. Please, gather what friends you will take with you and follow me." 

So it went that in a few moments Fina and her entourage walked down the smooth-stoned streets of Gen Gulan, lead by Maena's protectorate. The group consisted of Fina, Vyse, Aika, Aern, Gilder, Lani and Isapa. Fina wanted to take more, but Vyse reminded her that a smaller group was easier to keep together while walking through a strange city. Gilder glanced around warily at every crossing they passed. 

"Why so edgy, boy?" Isapa seemed relatively at ease. "There's nothing here that'll come out and bite you." 

"I just hate being in unfamiliar places, that's all. No...that's not it. I'm okay with unfamiliar places...I'm just absolutely not okay with unfamiliar places that I don't understand in the least." He nervously adjusted his pinch-on sunglasses. "I need to know my enemy." 

"Gilder, keep your voice down." Lani warned. "You don't want to upset or offend our hosts. Besides, nobody's our enemy here." 

"If there's one thing I've learned to do, it's to treat your enemies friendly, and think that every one of your friends is an enemy." His brown eyes scanned the windows of nearby buildings, most of which were occupied by teenagers and children, looking out to see the Silvite enter the city. "Let's just hope that my philosophy doesn't have to apply here." 

The people lining the streets cheered raggedly as they passed through, most of them children...but no child seemed younger than four. They waved their arms and even smiled at Fina as she passed, but the dull look in their eyes made it seem almost as if a funeral procession was going past. The Silvite smiled at them, but she too had a look in her eyes different than the look on her face. 

Fina was saddened, and Vyse knew it. It was depressing him a bit too, seeing all of these people in their beautiful city with their ugly mood. From the first glance, all he could think was that Gen Gulan was remarkable and breathaking, pulsing with life, verility and technology. Now, on closer inspection, Vyse realized that Gen Gulan was drawing its last breaths; the city was on its deathbed. 

While this was occurring to Vyse, it was also occurring to his best friend. Aika walked along next to Aern behind Vyse and Fina, and she could almost feel the hopelessness. Not only that, but she finally understood her Shwartzian friend's mannerisms. The quiet way that he spoke, his sad smiles, the tired look in his eyes...things that he didn't always let slip, but she had occasionally seen in the few weeks that he had been with the group, those things all made sense. They were a result of living life full of worry and despiration, of trying to survive when it was known that there was no point, that everybody would sooner or later join their loved ones and pass on without a legacy. Suddenly the deaths of her parents seemed very small and her life that of a princess. Aika had only lost her mother and her father, but Aern had lost all but his sister. 

"Aern?" She felt the need to say something to cheer him up. "How are you doing, buddy?" 

"Hmm?" Obviously he was thinking as he walked along. "Oh. I'm fine, thank you. And you? Do you like my city?" 

"It's lovely...definately a wonderful place to live." She winced inwardly. Right, the perfect place to live if you liked to be reminded of your own impeding extinction. "Hey...don't you want to walk up front with Maena's Protectorate?" 

He blinked, looking up ahead. "No, I don't think I should." 

"Why not? You're the one who found Fina, you're the one who told her what was going on, and you're the one who brought her here so she can help. You should be marching up there with your head held high...you're a hero come home." It sounded lame, and she hated the overuse of the word "hero", having heard it applied far too often to Vyse. Still, she was sincere. 

"Hero?" He laughed. "Not really. I haven't done anything." The smile faded from his fair-skinned face. "She's here, but look at my people, Aika...just look at them. Some of them think that the Silvite will save us all, but..." He lowered his voice. "There's more going on here than I told all of you. Please...don't tell Fina or anybody else. I don't want you to think you can't trust me." 

"What? What's going on here?" This was new, and a bit concerning. What could be going on that would make him worry so much? 

Aern dropped his eyes. "I'll tell you later, when we're at my home." It seemed that all traces of the tall, thin gentleman were gone, and in his place stood a man tired with worry and fear. He suddenly seemed to be as old as he claimed he was. "Please...trust me." 

Aika nodded, and looked ahead. "I have so far, haven't I?" 

* * * 

The city was huge, so many miles across, a testiment to a past glory of the Old World. The massive span of the stone wings overhead seemed to cradle the city protectively, like a mother holding a child. The grand proportions of it were beginning to tire the group, however, after they had been walking for a while. They felt dwarfed by it, almost oppressed, and the roiling clouds above did not help their spacial conceptions. 

Briefly, they stopped to allow another procession through, a small group of pale-faced Shwartzians walking in two shuffling lines, all garbed in dull gray. At the head of them stood two young men, only one of them looking really old enough to be considered thus, and between them they carried a small silver and black box. It was fairly obvious what the purpose of the procession was. 

Maena stood quietly with her Protectorate and watched them go past, her expression unreadable. The Warrior stood next to her, almost idly, while the Cleric folded her hands behind her back and bowed her head, not wanting to look at the young couple who comforted each other behind the casket bearers. 

Fina watched as well, her face blanched, her hands clasped together at her chest. Cupil floated next to her face, nuzzling her to provide a bit of comfort. "They barely even cry..." Her green eyes glanced around at the people on the streets, most of which were doing their best to look elsewhere. "How can these people not feel?" 

"When death is part of your daily life, you choose not to feel any longer." The matter-of-fact way that Maena said it made the statement all the worse. "Besides, it is what happens when there are those foolish enough to try to conceive." 

The Silvite's eyes followed the small casket. It definately did not need two people to carry it. "How old...?" 

"It all depends on how strong the mother is, but...all are pre-natal." The Sage seemed detached. 

"A miscarriage." Aern said behind them. "It's not common, but not unheard of either." It was the first thing he had said in a while. "Please, Maena...we're almost to my home. Let's continue on." 

They passed the funeral procession quietly, and left the family behind to mourn for their nameless child. 

* * * 

"We will be leaving you here." Maena said as they stood in front of a large domed building that had a collection of strange glowing bushes on its grounds. 

"Moons..." Aika looked up at the large home. "This is your house, Aern? I've seen smaller palaces." 

The Shwartzian didn't reply. Instead he gave a shy smile to them and colored a bit in the cheeks. 

Maena turned and spoke directly to Fina. "After the Council has been reported to, we will send a messanger to you. They will give you a greater idea as to what you must do, and how your friends may aid you. Until that time, please remain here and do not leave. Gen Gulan is a large city, and it would be difficult to find you, even with your pale hair and green eyes. After that, however, I am sure you will be free to see our fair city at your leisure." 

Fina inclined her head politely. "Thank you, Maena." 

"You are welcome. As I said before, you have friends here in Shwartzia. Until later," The thin woman bowed, turned on her heel and lead her Protectorate away to the center of the city. The man followed her silently, but the young Cleric turned and smiled to them, and gave a small wave before following. It was obvious that only Maena could speak their language. 

"Ah yes, that is the universal language." Isapa said. "A smile, a wave...signs of general friendship." 

"I thought love was the universal language?" Lani asked wryly. 

The fat man let out a booming laugh. "So it is, so it is. Many many things do not need to be spoken at all, and that girl knew that. She was more welcoming to us than her leader." 

"Yeah, Maena struck me as a little cold." Vyse said as Aern lead them up the walkway to the building. "Polite, but chilly." 

"Maena is one of the oldest Sages, and prides herself on her precise logic. It doesn't leave much room for feeling. There are other reasons why she's the way she is." Aern fumbled around in his vest for a key. "I hope the place isn't too much of a mess. Eleah isn't the neatest, and she's been home to Gen Gulan more than I have recently." He grunted and swore in his own language as the door swung wide open at his touch. "And I see she's left it unlocked again. I hope I haven't been robbed blind." 

The purple-haired man lead them into the dark inside, and fumbled along the wall for something. "Oh...where is that thing..." He passed his hand over something, and the lights came on. They seemed electric, but had a softer, more pure kind of glow to them. The main foyer was taller than it was wide, with a sloping ceiling, and it ended in a T-shape. "No wonder I couldn't find it." Aern said, examining an oval disc set into the wall. "The light in it needs to be recharged." 

"That's a funny light switch you have there. Is there anything else funny in your house, like a magical fireplace?" Gilder looked around, less wary now that he was inside. "Or maybe a hallway with a moving floor?" 

"A fireplace yes...it's a methane and moonstone fireplace, nothing magic there. Moving floor...no. I'm afraid you'll have to walk." He headed down the foyer and turned right, with the others behind him. After turning the lights on, he walked to a chair and sat down in it gratefully. The room was rather large, but he seemed comfortable. "Please, sit down everybody." 

Aika didn't want to sit down, however. She looked around the room in wonder. Much of the furnature seemed to be made of red and gold silks, and an odd blueish-black wood. The walls themselves were paneled in a strange wood that had alternating strains of light and dark wood running through the grain. The floor was a lighter color of the similar purple-gray stone that much of Gen Gulan was made of, and it was covered with detailed carpets. There were things around to make the place look lived-in and less like a palace, however. One table was covered with picture frames full of photographs, while another had some sort of board game set, the peices both on the board and halfhazardly heaped up alongside it. A pile of books sat on the endtable near the chair Aern was seated in, and it was obvious that he had moved to his favorite chair. 

"How many rooms are in this house?" Aika asked, looking at the pieces of the game. It sort of reminded her of backgammon. 

"Twenty-seven." Aern picked up a book from the table, and thumbed through it. "Oh sorry, twenty-eight if you count Eleah's walk-in closet." 

"That many? How in the world does a guy like you have a big house like this?" She picked up one of the game pieces and rubbed it with a finger. It seemed to be made of some kind of weird stone she couldn't identify....or maybe some odd kind of wood. "And what the hell is this thing made of?" 

"I have such a large house because I inherited it. My family has owned it for generations. And that _taeban_ piece is made of plastic...it's kind of cheap." 

Vyse peered at the small flat thing in Aika's fingers. "What kind of tree is plastic, anyway?" 

"Plastic is a synthetic material...it doesn't grow anywhere. Please don't ask me much more about it, since I'm not sure how it's made." He waved a hand to indicate the whole of the house. "If any of you want to look around, feel free. You saw how the light switches work. The kitchen is down to the left of where we came in, and there's a bathoom next to it. There's also the den on this side, and a library upstairs. We even have a piano upstairs in one of the old bedrooms, but I don't know how to play it. Eleah has a bunch of paintings and other kinds of art she's been collecting in a room up there, if anybody's interested in that." He pulled open the book. "If you don't mind, I'm going to enjoy being home, and read some of my favorite book...which I was stupid enough to leave behind before." 

"Before you read, young man...may I make us something to eat?" Isapa pointed in the way of the kitchen. "I'm anxious to get in there and make us something good, but I'm not so rude to not ask." 

"Sure, go ahead...you'll probably do better than me at cooking. I hope you like aquatic fish and mushrooms, because we eat a lot of those around here." He didn't even look up from his book and waved Isapa away. "Have fun. Just don't burn a hole in my pots." 

But it was only a minute later when the fat priest came back. "Uh, excuse me Aern...but what precisely is that large metal thing? I opened it up and there was a light inside." 

"Mmm? Oh, that. It's..." He paused as he fished for the word in a language other than his own. "I guess you would call it an icebox. You keep food cold in there so it doesn't spoil. Just don't touch the containers labled "_venesheim_", since they're medicine." He lowered his eyes to read his book once more. 

Isapa bustled off to the kitchen again, with Gilder behind him saying "I told you not to open those "veneeshime" containers...". Vyse had gone upstairs with Fina to look at the paintings that Eleah had collected, while a faint strain of music indicated that Lani had found the piano, and definately knew how to use it. That left Aika still looking around the first room, more curious than the others by nature, with Aern reading his book contentedly. 

"So many pictures..." Aika picked up one of the picture frames. "Very high-quality too." 

"My father liked to take photographs, especially of his family. He really loved my mother and his children." He twisted in his chair to point at a larger portrait. "That one there he didn't take though...that's professional. That one was taken when I was six." 

The redhead picked up the picture frame. "If you're six...wait...then you're the second youngest in your family?" The family within the frame smiled happily as they stood and sat together in a group: a mother, father, and five children. The little purple-haired boy near the bottom smiled a huge grin that bared as many teeth as possible. She couldn't help but chuckle, since she remembered a kid growing up that smiled like that. 

"Yes, Eleah's the youngest, as if you couldn't tell by her behavior." He stood and set his book down on the chair arm. "The one with the stupid grin is me. It's a very old photograph, but our technology was very advanced. The image is impressed on the back of the frame itself. Aside of direct sunlight exposure over a prolonged period of time, it won't fade." He picked up another picture and smiled faintly. "Not that it matters...when we entered our sleep, Mortian did the same, and by doing so extended his power to preserve the city perfectly. That way, we would not awaken to dust and ruins." 

"So your house is the exact same way that most houses were ten thousand years ago?" Aika looked around. "Wow..." 

"Yes, and there are things here that your technicians of today have forgotten how to make. At one point, all cities in the world had homes like these." 

"And who's this with you? This photo is different..." Aika picked up a smaller frame made of the striped wood. In it were a younger Aern and a pretty blue-haired girl with a gentle smile. Both seemed to be around eighteen. 

Aern took it from her, and lowered his eyes to look at it. "Oh. That's Naenen. My ex-girlfriend." 

"Oh, break-ups suck. Not that I ever had a serious boyfriend myself, but y'know...I've heard." 

"It wasn't like that." He set the picture down carefully. "We loved each other very much....ever since we were sixteen. We even became engaged, right around the time this picture was taken. By then I was entering training to become a Sage, since my family was known for its intelligence and forsight." He sighed and smiled, remembering. "Naenie was such an energetic and bright girl...full of happiness even when her family awakened and passed away...she always said it was better to die happy than to live miserable. She was my best friend, the one person that I could confide in and trust. 

"Not long after we became engaged, much to our surprise, Naenen became pregnant. I didn't think it was possible, after what the Head Cleric in the council had said about our women being barren. We were happy, as were our friends. Normally, having a baby outside of wedlock is frowned upon..." 

"I know, it still is." Aika smirked. "Some things stay the same." 

"I wish they did." 

"Why? What happened to the baby?" 

Aern paused, his red eyes distant. "In the middle of the night, Naenie went into labor. She was only five months pregnant. It was stillborn, but that wasn't the end of it. Naenen was bleeding quite a bit, and I didn't want to leave her. I sent Eleah to go get a Cleric to heal her, but none were trained enough to heal hemmoraging and rebuild blood." His voice grew very quiet. "I don't blame Eleah for it, it wasn't her fault. She thought that Naenen's death was because of her, but it wasn't. It wasn't my fault either, but..." 

"But you blame yourself." Aika understood. Hearing the story, after all she had learned about Aern's life previous, made her want to cry...and Aika didn't weep often. She wondered why Aern wasn't crying himself. "Don't, though...don't ever blame yourself. I did that for my parents, and all it made me was angry." She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Is that why you're a Cleric instead of a Sage?" 

"Yes." He didn't make eye contact, but kept staring at the arrangement of photographs through his dark purple eyelashes. "I wanted to learn how to help people, to save them if they were dying, to heal them if they were sick...to give them comfort if they were upset. Anything to try to redeem not being able to help Naenen." His expression remained the same, but his voice quavered. "I would do anything to have her back, but I know that's not possible. And I would do anything to help my people, because I love Shwartzia as much as I loved my fiancee." He looked at her, his eyes full of the pain that he had done his best to bury over the past year and a half. "This is why I don't care if I'm a hero, Aika. I don't care about that...that's not what's important to me. Saving my people is, and restoring the order here is too." 

She could feel him trembling, his hand shaking in her own. His eyes, however, were passionate and intense, and she knew that he would save Gen Gulan, no matter what. "Is that what you were talking about earlier? The reason why the people saw Fina and didn't react? There's no order in Gen Gulan?" She regretted asking it instantly, after he had already told her so much. She didn't want to upset him any more, especially here in his own home, but she needed to know the truth. 

"My people are divided right now, over the very issue that I left my country to help with. Part of it is adolecents not understanding the situation, but part of it deals with the Council, and their state. You see, some of them believe in the Silvites, and that they will save us. I believe in this, since I've studied the powers of Silver Moon Crystals, and I believe that Fina has the power within her to heal. There are those who think that the solution falls in us leaving Gen Gulan and going to the surface, and then trying to marry island-dwellers instead of our own kind. That concept upsets many, since we are a proud people, and do not want our bloodlines watered down like they have been in Ixa'Taka. Eleah once believed in saving our race this way when she was younger, but she has chosen Gaed's side. 

"And the last group believes that outsiders do not belong in Gen Gulan, that it is our problem, that we have offended the gods or the planet, and that we must suffer in silence...or find a solution on our own. Until recently, this was the way Gaed thought. The Council decided to try asking the Silvites for help before anything else, so they sent him out. Right before he left, he spoke to certain Council members at great length, and came to realize that it was the greatest hope for our race, aside of abandoning Gen Gulan." 

His vermillion eyes looked at the picture frames before them. "If you ask me what I really believe...I believe in anything that would help our people survive. If Fina cannot help us, and I must leave my home to marry an island-dweller in order to have a family, then I accept that. Anything is better than sitting down here in a cauldron, slowly dying, all the while surrounded by roiling bubbles as people's opinions and tempers bubble and boil. I just hope that Fina can help us, and it sets everyone at ease." 

Aika, realizing that she still held his hand in hers, decided not to let go, but put her other hand around it. "I understand what you're saying...that this problem needs to be solved soon, before people start rioting and fighting in the streets." 

"I hope it never comes to that, but it may." He shuddered at the thought of it, knowing the truth but never wanting to openly say it. "My people are a hair's breadth from civil war, and I think all that can stop them now is Fina." 


	21. NOTICE

This is the last you will see of this incarnation of Lunar Cycle.

I'm not certain if anybody is still watching me here, or watching for updates on my stories...but if you are, I posted this here for you. I'm a terrible author, a really terrible one that does not update. I came up with this story in 2000 and I started writing it in 2001, and here it's the end of 2008 and I finally have the mind to not only finish it, but to clean up the rambling mess that it is.

So many things need to change in this story, it's crazy. My word order is dyslexic. My spelling and grammar are atrocious. My word usage is adolescent. Aern is a Marty Stu. Fina and Vyse both slide out of character. There's weird, pointless scenes...and ultimately I couldn't write the ending I wanted because I wrote myself into a corner by only outlining half of the story before I started. It's sad that I let this story die because I really think that I had the very first Black Moon fic, that I hadn't seen any others out there (let alone any decent Skies of Arcadia stories) and I had wanted to write something for myself. The problem with sharing something you create for yourself is that others start taking interest, meaning you can't abandon it when you're bored with it.

So thus Lunar Cycle will be refurbished with a nice layer of shiny polish and a proper ending. The old version of Lunar Cycle will remain here on for a while longer, and then it will be deleted. I will publish the newer, rewritten chapters one at a time, giving people a chance to re-read, re-orient themselves and overall catch up with what is going on in the story.

My apologies for not updating sooner.

EDIT: I should make this clear. IT IS NOT UPDATED YET. THIS IS NOT NEW MATERIAL. I am currently doing one chapter at a time and posting the new ones on DeviantArt, where I have the same username.

So please, do not assume that anything is new here. It's not. Sorry for the confusion. 


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